Outstanding legal issues

Trial on attempted election fraud delayed

Donald Trump on January 27 in Las Vegas(Bild: AP Photo/John Locher, File)

The trial against former US President Donald Trump for attempted election fraud is to start later than planned. The competent federal court in the capital Washington announced on Friday (local time) that the start of the trial, originally scheduled for March 4, would be postponed. A new date will be set at a later date. This is due to unresolved legal issues in the case.

In the indictment, Trump was charged with four formal charges, including conspiracy against the United States. If convicted, he could face a long prison sentence.

Trump rejects all accusations and sees the prosecution against him as an attempt by his political opponents to prevent him from running for another term in office.

Four criminal proceedings, different accusations

Trump, who wants to run again as the Republican candidate in the presidential election in November, is facing four criminal proceedings in the middle of the election year. In the case in Washington, the 77-year-old was indicted at federal level for his efforts to retroactively overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. Trump had lost the election to Democrat Joe Biden at the time. His campaign against the outcome of the election culminated in an unprecedented, violent attack by his supporters on the US Capitol on 6 January 2021.

The trial in Washington is one of a total of four that the Republican presidential candidate is facing. Trump has also been indicted on various charges in New York, Miami and Atlanta. He is the first ex-president in US history to stand trial for alleged criminal offenses.

Donald Trump on January 27 in Las Vegas(Bild: AP Photo/John Locher, File)

According to experts, a conviction would not legally prevent the Republican from running in the election in November - especially as it is highly questionable whether a final judgment will even be available by then.

Does being president protect against prosecution?
In the election fraud case in Washington, Trump recently raised a fundamental legal question that still needs to be clarified. In view of this, it was already expected that the trial could be delayed. At issue is the question of whether the office of president protects against criminal prosecution.