Steve Bannon’s trial over his alleged involvement in a scheme to pocket donations from Trump supporters who thought they were funding the construction of a border wall will be postponed to February 25, a New York judge ruled on Monday. The trial was originally set to start December 9.
Bannon faces charges in New York related to the “We Build the Wall” campaign, which allegedly scammed donors out of $15 million during president-elect Donald Trump’s first term. The former White House adviser has pleaded not guilty to money laundering, conspiracy, fraud, and other charges in the case.
Judge April Newbauer pushed back the trial date after granting the prosecution’s motion to introduce additional financial evidence that is said to shed light on Bannon’s motive. The defense requested a delay in the trial because they need more time to respond to the new evidence that the prosecution plans on using.
Bannon attended Monday’s court hearing virtually. He confirmed that he will be in court when jury selection starts on February 25 but did not provide further comment, the Associated Press reported. Prosecutors asked for an anonymous jury in the high-profile case. The judge has not issued a decision on the request yet.
Newbauer warned the trial date would not be changed again.
Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, who pursued charges against Trump for falsifying New York business records related to his criminal hush-money case, indicted Bannon in September 2022. Bannon, who chaired the We Build the Wall’s advisory board, was accused of pocketing donations that he said would go toward funding the border wall and not to individuals running the organization.
Bannon maintains the state charges are “nonsense” and motivated by Bragg’s political animus. The district attorney won the former president’s hush-money conviction in May, though the sentencing date remains uncertain now that Trump has been reelected. Judge Juan Merchan is set to decide on Tuesday whether he will uphold or dismiss the conviction.
Federal prosecutors initially indicted Bannon and his two associates over the same fundraising scheme in August 2020. Bannon was pardoned by Trump in January 2021 before the federal case could proceed. The two associates were ultimately sentenced to prison in April 2023, while the War Room host still faces charges in New York.
If convicted, Bannon faces up to 15 years in prison. Since he’s being prosecuted by New York state, he’s not eligible for a pardon by Trump.
Bannon completed a four-month prison sentence late last month, one week before the presidential election. The Trump ally’s brief incarceration stemmed from his defiance of subpoenas issued by the January 6 congressional committee.