Just days before Donald Trump’s inaugural criminal trial was slated to commence, the Manhattan district attorney’s office indicated a possible 30-day postponement in the hush-money case, citing an overwhelming caseload and a recent influx of documents from the U.S. Attorney’s office.
In a notice issued on Thursday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg referenced the substantial volume of documents, exceeding 100,000 pages, with 31,000 pages released just the day before and more expected in the coming week. While expressing readiness to proceed to trial on March 25, Bragg acknowledged the necessity for caution and ensuring adequate time for the defense to review the new materials.
Trump’s legal team initially sought a 90-day delay upon receiving the initial batch of 73,000 pages on March 4. However, the decision rests with Judge Juan Manuel Merchan, who has previously disregarded the former president’s delay requests, emphasizing the absence of firm trial dates for Trump’s other criminal cases.
The timing of Merchan’s ruling remains uncertain.
The case implicates Trump in allegedly orchestrating hush-money payments through his former fixer, Michael Cohen, to conceal an affair with adult film actress Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 presidential election. Trump faces 34 felony charges, including accusations of falsifying business records to further an underlying crime, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Cohen, anticipated as a key witness, has expressed confidence in Trump’s conviction, stating during The New Republic’s Stop Trump Summit in October, “He’s going to be found guilty, based on everything I know about it.”