In a last-ditch effort to disrupt his hush money case, former President Donald Trump has once again requested the recusal of Judge Juan Merchan, just days before the trial is set to commence on April 15. Trump's attorneys argue that his status as the presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election makes him a "political target" in light of Merchan's daughter's work.

Trump's legal team, in a motion filed on Wednesday and made public on Friday, highlighted his success in the primaries and subsequent status as a political target. They expressed concerns about Merchan's daughter's role as the president of Authentic Campaigns, a company that worked on Vice President Kamala Harris' 2020 presidential campaign.

However, Merchan had previously sought recommendations from the New York State Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics regarding his daughter's work. The committee concluded that the judge's impartiality could not be reasonably questioned based on his relative's business and political activities. Consequently, Merchan rejected Trump's earlier request for recusal in August, indicating that a similar argument is unlikely to sway his decision this time.

Despite Trump's repeated efforts to alter the path of the trial, it remains on course to become the first of his four criminal cases to go to trial. Trump, who has pleaded not guilty, recently had his presidential immunity claim dismissed by Merchan earlier this week.

With the trial's commencement looming, the motion for a new judge, filed less than two weeks before jury selection begins, is seen as a long-shot bid by Trump's legal team. The trial pertains to allegations of hush money payments made by Trump, and it is expected to shed light on the complexities of the case.

As the trial date draws near, the outcome will be closely watched, not only for its immediate legal implications but also for its potential impact on Trump's future political endeavors.