The federal criminal case surrounding former President Donald Trump's alleged attempts to steal the 2020 election is set to move forward later this month, despite the unlikelihood of reaching trial before the 2024 election. Following a recent Supreme Court ruling granting immunity for official acts conducted while in office, the case was transferred back to the U.S. District Court for Washington, D.C., under the jurisdiction of U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan.

In her first order since assuming control of the case, Judge Chutkan denied Trump's motion to dismiss the federal criminal charges brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith. However, she made provisions for the former president to refile his request once questions regarding his immunity are resolved. Chutkan was tasked by the Supreme Court to determine which acts are official and can be brought before a jury, and her decisions are expected to be subject to appeals.

To commence the legal proceedings, Judge Chutkan has scheduled a hearing on August 16 in Washington, D.C., to discuss the schedule for Trump's felony criminal case. She has instructed both Trump's legal team and the Justice Department team led by Special Counsel Smith to propose a schedule for moving the case forward by Friday. Notably, Trump is not required to attend the hearing, which falls just days before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where his 2024 opponent, Kamala Harris, is expected to accept her party's presidential nomination.

Special Counsel Smith had filed four criminal charges against Trump last August, accusing him of attempting to subvert the 2020 election. The charges include conspiring to obstruct Congress' meeting on January 6, 2021, to certify Joe Biden's win, using the Justice Department to influence states to replace legitimate presidential electors with fraudulent ones, threatening to replace government leaders for not announcing a non-existent investigation into election security, and attempting to involve then-Vice President Mike Pence in accepting fake electoral slates. The Supreme Court has raised concerns about whether these allegations constitute official acts.

Given the time needed for Trump's legal team to prepare, it appears unlikely that a trial will take place before the 2024 election. Judge Chutkan had previously stated that she would allow several months for preparation once she gained control of the case, and her analysis of the charges could take up to a year. These proceedings could potentially be politically damaging for Trump, with less than 100 days remaining before Election Day.

While Trump has achieved recent legal victories, his legal troubles are far from over. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 18 in New York after being convicted of falsifying business records to conceal reimbursements made to his former lawyer, who paid hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election. Trump has requested the dismissal of this case based on the Supreme Court's immunity ruling, and the judge is currently considering his request. Additionally, Trump is facing felony charges in two other criminal cases, one in Florida involving classified documents and an election racketeering case in Fulton County, Georgia, where he stands accused of attempting to overturn the 2020 election results. The former president has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

As the federal criminal case against Trump progresses, it remains to be seen how much impact it will have on the political landscape leading up to the 2024 election.