Why a May 2024 trial in classified documents case double-edged sword for Trump

New Delhi: As Donald Trump remains the front-runner to bag the Republican nomination next year, his legal troubles continue to mount and may prove his undoing as a presidential candidate.

The judge overseeing his indictment on the charge of mishandling classified documents has stated that she would hear arguments in May next year. The trial can run parallel to the 2024 election campaign and that’s why Trump’s lawyers told the judge that she should begin after the 2024 election, which will be held in November. 

The two-week-long trial during the election campaign is going to be a stark reminder to the voters of what it means to elect Trump.

Interestingly, the judge overseeing the trial, Aileen M Cannon was appointed to the judgeship during the presidency of Donald Trump. 

The majority of Republican primaries, to pick up the next presidential candidate, would be over by the time trial starts and observers say he could face trial as an almost confirmed Republican nominee.

Before this trial, Trump is slated to face another trial in March next year.

He has been charged by the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg with falsifying records with regard to payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Besides, Trump is also facing a probe for his alleged role in an effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Trump has been informed by the Justice Department that he is the target of the probe. The probe includes conspiracy behind the January 6, 2020, Capitol riots and to find electors who would affirm Trump as the winner of the election rather than confirming Joe Biden who actually won the election.

When prosecutors gather enough evidence, only then do they inform a person that he or she is a target of the probe. It is a formal intimation.

A district attorney in Georgia is also probing whether there was any conspiracy to overturn the result of the 2020 elections in Georgia. Trump himself was involved in calling state office bearers to change the election results in his favour.

A New York state lawsuit has also charged Trump that he along with others enhanced the valuation of his properties to get loans and tax rebates.

It is not necessary that the trial in the classified documents case will definitely start in May as his lawyers may file applications on various issues which may take some time to settle and thus delay the trial. But if the trial is postponed beyond elections and Trump or any other Republican gets to sit in the White House in January 2025 then the trial could be dropped altogether.

There is already much discussion in the media about the possibility that Trump can pardon himself in all criminal cases if he becomes president again. It seems that the 2024 presidential election will be the mother of all elections.