WASHINGTON: Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Thursday to criminal charges in a revised federal indictment accusing the former US president of attempting to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election.
Trump’s lawyers entered the plea on his behalf at the start of a court hearing in Washington focused on how the case should proceed after the US Supreme Court ruled that former presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution.
Trump, the Republican candidate in the Nov. 5 presidential election, is not attending the hearing.
The new indictment, brought in August, included the same four charges as the one obtained last year by Special Counsel Jack Smith, but dropped allegations the Supreme Court found could not remain part of the case.
US District Judge Tanya Chutkan is expected to consider dueling proposals from Smith, who is seeking to press the case forward, and Trump, who is pushing to delay action until after the election. The Supreme Court directed Chutkan to decide whether any other portions of the case must be tossed out.
Trump faces four criminal charges that accuse him of using false claims of voter fraud to undermine the election results and thwart certification of his defeat to Democratic President Joe Biden.
The case had been delayed for months while Trump pursued his immunity claim and is virtually certain not to go to trial before Trump faces Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the election.
Trump has argued that the prosecution as well as other legal cases against him are politically motivated attempts to undermine his presidential campaign.
The Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision in July that former presidents are presumed to be immune from criminal prosecution for actions taken as part of their official responsibilities as president.
Smith has argued that all the remaining allegations are not covered by the immunity ruling and can proceed to trial.
Prosecutors have said that they are prepared to file court papers laying out their argument “at any time the court deems appropriate.”