New York Hush money case: Donald Trump to stand trial on March 25, 1st ever of an ex-US President

Donald Trump will face trial on criminal charges, becoming the first former U.S. president to do so, as a New York judge on Thursday denied his request to dismiss an indictment related to hush money paid to a porn star and set a trial date for March 25.

Justice Juan Merchan’s ruling, made during a heated hearing in Manhattan, means that Trump will stand trial in at least one of the four criminal cases he faces as he seeks the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden in the November 5 U.S. election.

Trump, who has used the media attention surrounding his legal troubles to energise his supporters and criticise Democratic opponent Joe Biden, reiterated his assertion that the charges were politically motivated to harm his chances in the election. Outside the courthouse, a small group of protesters held signs condemning Trump and chanted “no dictators in the U.S.A.”

Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat. The trial is set to start before Trump’s three other criminal cases.

The case centres on former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen’s $130,000 payment to Daniels – whose real name is Stephanie Clifford – to prevent her from publicly speaking ahead of the 2016 election about a sexual encounter she has said she had with Trump a decade earlier. Trump has denied this occurred.

Trump may effectively have wrapped up the Republican nomination by the time the trial is scheduled to start. He has won the first four state nominating contests. Dozens more will have taken place before the trial date. Opinion polls show him with a wide lead over his lone remaining primary challenger, Nikki Haley, and effectively tied with Biden.

Legal rollercoaster

Trump’s lawyers were also representing him in Atlanta, Georgia, where he is accused of conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election, which he lost to Biden.

That hearing seeks to have District Attorney Fani Willis dismissed from the case over an alleged relationship with another prosecutor.

Trump’s legal rollercoaster could continue on Friday if, as US media have reported, a ruling is issued in his civil fraud trial, in which he is accused of grossly inflating his property’s values.

In that case, he risks having to pay up to $370 million and faces a ban from conducting business in New York state.

And he also faces another possible trial alleging conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election in Washington.

Trump has used the numerous legal cases to fuel his claims of being victimized as he campaigns for a return to the White House.

The hush money case dates to the closing days of the 2016 election when Trump was on the cusp of his shock win as a political outsider against Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

A New York grand jury indicted Trump in March 2023 over the payments made to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

Prosecutors say the money was paid to silence Daniels over claims she had a tryst with Trump in 2006 — a year after he married Melania Trump.

Late in the campaign, Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen arranged a payment of $130,000 to Daniels in exchange for her pledge of confidentiality.

Trump for years rejoiced in his reputation as a playboy but he denied the affair with Daniels, which would have occurred just after Melania, his third wife, gave birth.

With inputs from agencies.