Trump trial paused after re-election win
A federal judge has suspended proceedings in Donald Trump's 2020 election subversion case following his election victory, responding to Special Counsel Jack Smith's request to pause the case due to the "unprecedented circumstance" of Trump's return to the White House. The decision reflects complications arising from a 1970s Justice Department policy that prohibits criminal prosecution of sitting presidents.
US District Judge Tanya Chutkan approved the prosecution's request to vacate remaining pretrial deadlines, allowing the government to evaluate its options. Prosecutors have indicated they will announce their strategy for concluding the case by December 2, 2024, before Trump's January inauguration.
The case involves four criminal charges against Trump for allegedly conspiring to obstruct vote certification following his 2020 defeat to Joe Biden, culminating in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Trump had pleaded not guilty to these charges last year.
Following Trump's victory over Democratic rival Kamala Harris in Tuesday's election, both federal cases against him – including charges related to classified documents retained at Mar-a-Lago – are expected to conclude. Legal experts anticipate delays in Trump's other pending cases, including the Georgia racketeering case and New York hush money case.
Trump, the first former US president to face criminal charges while winning re-election, had previously declared his intention to fire Special Counsel Smith immediately upon taking office. The prosecution's move to pause proceedings is partly understood as a pre-emptive measure to address this threat, while acknowledging the legal impossibility of prosecuting a sitting president under current Justice Department policy.
