Nov 18, 2024 - Politics & Policy

Steve Bannon's border wall fraud trial postponed until February

Ivana Saric

Steve Bannon, a former political advisor to US President-elect Donald Trump, attends his court hearing at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City on November 12 — Steve Bannon attends his court hearing at Manhattan Criminal Court on Nov. 12. Photo: Adam Gray/AFP via Getty Images

A New York judge on Monday postponed ex-Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon's state trial on fraud charges until late February.

Why it matters: Bannon, who was recently released from prison, is facing charges for allegedly duping donors who gave money to his "We Build the Wall" campaign during President-elect Trump's first term in the White House.

Driving the news: Bannon's fraud trial was scheduled to begin Dec. 9.

Judge April Newbauer on Monday agreed to postpone the trial date to Feb. 25, AP reported.
Prosecutors also asked that the juror's identities in the case be kept anonymous, though Newbauer has not yet issued a decision on the matter, per AP.

State of play: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged Bannon in the case in 2022. Bannon subsequently pleaded not guilty to money laundering, conspiracy, fraud and other charges.

Bannon's lawyers have pushed to move the case and last week the judge signaled an openness to doing so, ABC News reported.

Zoom out: Two of Bannon's associates were sentenced to prison last year in a similar federal case over the fundraising scheme.

Bannon had been indicted alongside the two associates in August 2020, but Trump pardoned Bannon before leaving office in 2021.

Go deeper: Trump's MAGA allies gloat Project 2025 "is the agenda"

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Steve Bannon's border wall fraud trial postponed until February

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