Mother Jones; Patrick Semansky; Unsplash One reason Donald Trump’s trial this month is so notable is that it is actually happening. As recently as last summer, it appeared that Trump would face four criminal trials ahead of the 2024 elections: two in state court and two in federal court. Today, it looks like the New York state hush money case will be the only one to reach a jury before November, and possibly ever.
There is plenty of blame to go around for the delays. But one person who deserves a lot of that blame—or credit—is Trump himself. As the press and voters debate whether Trump’s authoritarian tendencies could be checked in a prospective second term, it’s important to recognize that Trump is already escaping accountability thanks to the judges he installed during his first term, who have pushed off both federal cases against him.
During his presidency, courts acted as a major check on Trump—most importantly when he and his allies filed dozens of lawsuits across the country to try to overturn the results of the 2020 election. When those legal efforts failed, Trump turned to extralegal means to stay in power, culminating in a violent attack on the US Capitol. Now, the judges Trump put in place are helping him evade responsibility for these and other actions.
At the Supreme Court, they are even contemplating granting new levels of immunity to presidents that Trump could enjoy if he returns to power. It’s not only a gauge of how much damage Trump has already.