WASHINGTON — U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan has postponed all upcoming deadlines in the election interference case against President-elect Donald Trump, as federal prosecutors prepare to drop the charges against him.
The delay came after a source within the Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed that special counsel Jack Smith is planning to close both of Trump’s federal cases due to a long-standing DOJ policy that prevents prosecuting a sitting president.
In a filing Friday, Smith requested that the court vacate all remaining deadlines in the pretrial schedule to allow the government time to assess the unique situation and decide on the next steps in line with department policy.
“The Government respectfully requests that the Court vacate the remaining deadlines in the pretrial schedule to afford the Government time to assess this unprecedented circumstance and determine the appropriate course going forward, consistent with Department of Justice policy,” Smith wrote in the filing.
Trump Campaign Calls for Dismissal of Charges
The Trump campaign quickly responded to the news, reiterating its call for the criminal cases against Trump to be dismissed entirely.
“President Trump has been re-elected by the American people with an overwhelming mandate to Make America Great Again,” said Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign. “It’s now clear that Americans want an immediate end to the weaponization of our justice system. As President Trump said in his victory speech, it is time to unify the country and work together for the good of the nation.”
Trump’s supporters argue that moving forward with the charges would violate established DOJ policy and call for the case to be thrown out.
Federal Prosecutors Assess Next Steps
Federal prosecutors are expected to announce a decision on how to proceed in the next few weeks, as both of Trump’s cases have looming deadlines.
In Washington, D.C., Trump is facing charges related to his alleged attempt to interfere with the 2020 election and obstruct Congress’s certification of the Electoral College votes on January 6, 2021. Judge Chutkan had been considering whether Trump could claim immunity from these charges under a ruling from the Supreme Court in July.
In a separate case, Trump is also accused of unlawfully retaining classified documents after leaving office. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon initially dismissed these charges, claiming that Smith’s appointment was improperly made. However, the DOJ has appealed that ruling to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
