When will Donald Trump face trial?

When Donald Trump arrives in a Manhattan court room to be arraigned on yet-to-be unsealed charges stemming from a 2016 hush-money scheme meant to keep voters from learning about a decade-old affair before the 2016 presidential election, it will be the first step in what could be a long and drawn-out process leading to a trial in the city he called home for most of his life.

Thus far, the ex-president’s reaction to his newfound criminal jeopardy has been to exhibit the same defiance and bluster that characterised how he faced previous investigations into his conduct.

His first reaction to the news that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg had obtained a grand jury indictment against him came in a poorly-spelled post on his Truth Social website late Thursday, in which the ex-president wrote: “These Thugs and Radical Left Monsters have just INDICATED the 45th President of the United States of America, and the leading Republican Candidate, by far, for the 2024 Nomination for President”.

Switching to all uppercase letters, he added: “THIS IS AN ATTACK ON OUR COUNTRY THE LIKES OF WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE. IT IS LIKEWISE A CONTINUING ATTACK ON OUR ONCE FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS. THE USA IS NOW A THIRD WORLD NATION, A NATION IN SERIOUS DECLINE. SO SAD!”

While many criminal defendants choose to accept deals in which they plead guilty to avoid a trial, often in exchange for significant concessions from prosecutors, Mr Trump is not expected to consider any such agreement.

Joe Tacopina, the New York-based criminal defence attorney who represents Mr Trump, said he would not entertain plea negotiations during an appearance on NBC News Friday morning.

“President Trump will not take a plea deal in this case. It’s not going to happen. There’s no crime. I don’t know if it’s going to make the trial because we have substantial legal challenges,” he said.

Mr Trump’s refusal to accept a plea deal means it could be well into next year — or later — before his criminal trial begins.

After his initial appearance, prosecutors will begin to turn over evidence against him that they intend to use at trial in a process called discovery. His attorneys will also have the opportunity to file motions to dismiss the indictment by challenging the propriety of the charges against him.

That process could take up a significant amount of time and delay any trial for an unknown period of time.