A New York judge ruled on Thursday that Donald Trump’s hush-money trial will proceed as scheduled, with jury selection set to commence on March 25.

This decision comes despite the former president’s defense lawyers’ requests for a delay, citing concerns about potential interference with Trump’s campaign to reclaim the White House.

This ruling means that Trump’s first trial among the four criminal prosecutions he faces will focus on longstanding allegations that he attempted to suppress stories about extramarital affairs during his 2016 presidential campaign.

Other cases against him involve charges related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and the alleged improper retention of classified documents at his Florida estate, the Associated Press reported.

Judge Juan Manuel Merchan, in maintaining the trial date, noted the recent delay in a separate prosecution in Washington linked to attempts to overturn the election.

The Washington case, initially scheduled for trial on March 4, has been effectively paused pending the resolution of Trump’s appeal on the question of whether a former president is immune from prosecution for actions taken during their term in office—a legal issue yet to be tested.

Written by B.C. Begley