Trump lawyers seek to pause hush money trial until SCOTUS decides presidential immunity case

Former President Trump’s lawyers filed a motion on Monday to adjourn Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s alleged hush money trial until after the U.S. Supreme Court decides Trump’s case on presidential immunity. 

According to the court filing, Trump’s attorneys said that prosecutors have implied they will introduce at trial “several types of evidence that implicate the concept of official acts for purposes of presidential immunity,” which means they “must be precluded.” 

Trump currently has a case before the Supreme Court regarding his immunity claims in special counsel Jack Smith's D.C. election case. 

The D.C. case is currently on hold and the Supreme Court's decision to hear it maintains the status quo in that respect. Oral arguments are set for April 25, and the court will likely rule by the end of June. 

In the D.C. case, Trump has argued he is immune from prosecution on grounds of presidential immunity. 

For the New York case, Trump’s attorneys are arguing that prosecutors should be restricted in the evidence that can be introduced at trial because they implicate official acts during the former president’s administration. 

“Therefore, President Trump respectfully submits that an adjournment of the trial is appropriate to await further guidance from the Supreme Court, which should facilitate the appropriate application of the presidential immunity doctrine in this case to the evidence the People intend to offer at trial,” the court filing reads. 

Trump’s New York trial is currently set for March 25. If the trial is delayed, it may not occur until the summer at the earliest.

Trump pleaded not guilty in April 2023 to all 34 state felony charges connected to the former president's alleged role in payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal.