A look ahead at the key events leading the news agenda next week, from the team at Foresight News. Delivered to your inbox on Fridays.
Leading the week
Monday (March 25) was supposed to be the start of Donald Trump’s trial in New York on 34 criminal counts of falsifying business records to hide, among other things, payments made to former porn actor Stormy Daniels. But proceedings were delayed last week to allow Trump’s defense team time to review thousands of pages of documents from federal prosecutors that they say were deliberately withheld until shortly before the trial was due to begin. Instead of jury selection, legal teams will attend a hearing on Monday when, among other things, New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan will hear arguments over a motion to have the case thrown out. A new trial date is also likely to be announced following the hearing, with prosecutors arguing the trial should proceed on April 15.
Monday also marks the deadline for Trump to post bond for the more than $460 million he owes following a civil fraud judgment against him in February. His lawyers are appealing and have indicated they will be unable to pay, claiming they have approached 30 surety companies but that the amount required makes it a practical impossibility. New York Attorney General Letitia James, who in theory could begin seizing Trump assets such as Trump Tower if he fails to pay the court-ordered disgorgement, has cast doubt on that claim and appears to be preparing for Trump to fail to meet the deadline.
President Joe Biden, meanwhile, is on the campaign trail again next week, starting on Tuesday (March 26) when he heads to North Carolina alongside Vice President Kamala Harris. The trip follows the Tar Heel state’s recent primary that saw controversial Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson chosen as the Republican gubernatorial candidate to replace Democrat Roy Cooper, who is term-limited. Robinson’s selection in what is set to be a high-profile contest has raised hopes among Democrats, who believe his record of making inflammatory comments will alienate critical swing voters in the state. Biden is likely to throw his weight behind Robinson’s Democratic opponent, state Attorney General Josh Stein, during his visit. Later in the week, Biden will be in New York for a what is being touted as a first-of-its-kind fundraiser on Thursday (March 28) featuring Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.
Though his campaign doesn’t seem to be gaining traction, there will nevertheless be interest in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s announcement of his running mate on Tuesday (March 26). While former NFL star Aaron Rodgers and former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura were among names floated earlier this month, recent rumors suggest he is leaning towards picking California-based attorney Nicole Shanahan, who was once married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin and reportedly was behind the controversial pro-Kennedy ad that aired during this year’s Super Bowl.
On Tuesday (March 26), the Supreme Court hears oral arguments in the first big abortion case since it overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. The two consolidated cases concern access to mifepristone medication, an abortion pill widely available via online prescription and pharmacies and now used in nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the US. Approved in 2000, rigorous research over the years has supported FDA claims that the treatment is safe and effective. The conservative group that brought the cases against the FDA and Danco Laboratories, who produce a branded version of the drug, accuse the regulatory body and pharmaceutical company of failing to adequately examine mifepristone’s safety risks and are seeking to overturn the treatment’s approval.
The hearing comes as Republicans look to find some consensus on abortion ahead of the November election amid signs that moderate voters have been put off by the Roe v Wade ruling and subsequent attempts to enact stricter abortion bans across the country. GOP strategists called for more moderate language in the wake of midterm and off-year losses in 2022 and 2023 that were blamed on Democrats’ ability to mobilize pro-choice voters, and Trump recently mused that hardliners should support a 15-week ban to win votes.
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is due to be sentenced on Thursday (March 28) after being found guilty last November on seven charges of fraud and conspiracy for stealing more than $8bn from customers and investors of his cryptocurrency exchange. In a filing last week, prosecutors proposed a 40- to 50-year-sentence for the ‘historic’ fraud. Bankman-Fried’s lawyers described the prosecutors’ proposals as ‘disturbing’ and accuse the Department of Justice of unfairly portraying their client as a ‘depraved super-villain’.
Looking abroad
Next Friday (March 29) marks the one-year anniversary of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich’s detention last year during a 2023 reporting trip in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg. After being transported to Moscow, Gershkovich was initially ordered detained until the end of May that year, accused of espionage – though no evidence has ever been produced to corroborate the charge – and his pre-trial detention has been repeatedly extended while his appeals are denied. Hopes that he could be freed were raised in February when Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested he was open to a prisoner swap agreement. But with his current detention order set to expire on Saturday (March 30), a hearing is likely at some point next week, and yet another extension is all but certain.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has spent a lot of time on the campaign trail recently ahead of local elections that taking place on Sunday (March 31). His involvement is indicative of the importance being attached to the elections, particularly in the key cities of Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, where Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) are seeking to regain control after losing the 2019 mayoral races in those cities to the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). While Erdogan has suggested he does not plan to seek another term, some suspect a strong result for the AKP could tempt him to pursue fresh constitutional reform and potentially see him remain in office beyond 2028.
There will continue to be a huge focus on the British Royal family next week following the shock announcement that the Princess of Wales has been diagnosed with cancer. Kate’s absence from public life since undergoing abdominal surgery in January prompted weeks of fevered speculation about her health, with blurry paparazzi images, grainy video footage and a row over doctored photographs fueling newspaper gossip and online conspiracies. The Princess’ video message announcing she is undergoing preventative chemotherapy followed reports that she could make her first public appearance at the family’s traditional walk to the Easter service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor on Sunday (March 31), despite the palace’s insistence that she wouldn’t return to duties until after Easter. It is now understood that she and Prince William will not attend the service.
A message from Catherine, The Princess of Wales pic.twitter.com/5LQT1qGarK
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 22, 2024
While Kate stressed the importance of dealing with her diagnosis privately, there was likely pressure to explain her absence in advance following questions about whether the royals’ traditional PR approach can work in the social media age, and concern over the public reaction if she didn’t appear on Sunday as rumored. King Charles may also be missing from the Easter service as he continues his own cancer treatment, with Queen Camilla taking on the duty of distributing the Royal Maundy at Worcester Cathedral on Thursday (March 28).
[Note: This article was amended on March 22 following the announcement that the Princess of Wales has been diagnosed with cancer.]