Donald Trump’s request on Thursday that the start date of his federal Jan. 6 election conspiracy case be pushed back to 2026 drew swift reaction from legal experts on social media, and if the early consensus is any indication, the former president’s ask is going nowhere.
The former president through his attorneys in court filings on Thursday asked the federal judge presiding to start the proceeding in 2026.
Judge Tanya Chutkan said she will set the trial date on or before a scheduled Aug. 28 hearing. Special counsel Jack Smith had requested that the trial start Jan. 2, 2024.
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“Chutzpah defined,” former federal prosecutor Harry Litman wrote on his X account.
“Trump doesn't try to invoke the election in asking for a 2026 trial date. He knows that Chutkan took it off the table. Instead, argues 1) lots of discovery; 2) complicated case; 3) some classified materials. Then lays out a comically leisurely schedule. e.g basically all of 2025 taken up w/ 3 discovery conferences,” Litman said in another post.
“I’ll eat my hat if Judge Chutkan agrees with Trump to start this trial in 2026,” former federal prosecutor Neal Katyal wrote on his X account. “Absurd. He’s just afraid to stand trial. Nothing more.”
“This is actually funny. 2026,” former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance posted on her X account. “Good luck with that.”
Former federal prosecutor Elizabeth de la Vega wrote “It is absurd, but it is entirely consistent with the arrogant, smartass approach Trump's lawyers have taken toward Judge Chutkan from the beginning.”
MSNBC producer Kyle Griffin wrote Thursday: “Donald Trump wants the American people to NOT know whether or not he is innocent before the 2024 election. In fact, he wants the American people to wait at least another 17 months after the election to know.”