The federal 2020 election case against Trump, from his indictment to its end

Gone quiet · last story Jan 14, 2025

What this arc covers

The federal case charging Donald Trump over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election: the 2023 indictment, the March 2024 trial date Judge Tanya Chutkan set, the fight over her gag order on Trump, the case's return to Chutkan after the Supreme Court's immunity ruling, the special counsel's new indictment in August 2024, the filings that laid out the evidence, the cancellation of deadlines after Trump won the election, the prosecutor's dropping of the federal cases, and the release of the special counsel's final report in January 2025.

Earliest story we hold Aug 10, 2023 · 36 stories · 193 independent sources (counted once each) · 523 days

Part ofDonald TrumpWashington, D.C.Tanya S. ChutkanUnited States Department of JusticeNew YorkJuan MerchanFloridaNew York City

Part of Trump's criminal cases

  1. The federal classified documents case against Trump and its dismissalAug 16, 2022 – Sep 24, 2026
  2. Trump's New York hush money case and his conviction on 34 felony countsJan 30, 2023 – Aug 28, 2026
  3. The federal 2020 election case against Trump, from his indictment to its endThis arcAug 10, 2023 – Jan 14, 2025
  4. The Supreme Court's 2024 ruling that presidents have immunity for official actsOct 5, 2023 – Aug 27, 2024
  5. The Georgia election case against Trump, from the co-defendants' pleas to its endOct 19, 2023 – Jan 8, 2026
  6. Jack Smith after the Trump cases: his reports, the probes of him and his testimonyNov 13, 2024 – Oct 4, 2026

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Jan 142025Special Counsel's final report on Trump's presidential election interference case released60 articles · 31 independent sources
8 left, 12 center, 7 right
Nov 25– 262024Prosecutor drops federal cases against Trump98 articles · 58 independent sources
15 left, 17 center, 17 right
Nov 8– 92024Judge cancels court deadlines in Trump's 2020 election case after his presidential win32 articles · 22 independent sources
2 left, 3 center, 1 right

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

  1. Aug 28 – 29, 2023Trump trial set for March 4, 2024, in federal case charging him with plotting to overturn election118 articles · 65 independent sources
  2. Oct 14 – 21, 2023Judge temporarily lifts narrow gag order on Trump in 2020 election interference case59 articles · 41 independent sources
    1. Oct 16, 2023Trump has narrow gag order imposed on him by federal judge overseeing 2020 election subversion case
    2. Oct 17, 2023Trump appeals judge’s partial gag order in 2020 election, Jan. 6 case
  3. Oct 16 – 18, 2023Trump has narrow gag order imposed on him by federal judge overseeing 2020 election subversion case106 articles · 63 independent sources
  4. Nov 20 – 21, 2023An appeals court hears arguments about Trump's gag order in Jan. 6 case52 articles · 35 independent sources
  5. Aug 27 – 28, 2024Trump election case sees new indictment134 articles · 67 independent sources
  6. Nov 25 – 26, 2024Prosecutor drops federal cases against Trump98 articles · 58 independent sources
  7. Jan 14, 2025Special Counsel's final report on Trump's presidential election interference case released60 articles · 31 independent sources

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

Aug 2023Nov 2023Mar 2024Jun 2024Sep 2024Jan 2025

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Aug 7, 2023118343
Aug 14, 2023710436
Aug 28, 2023152010114
Sep 11, 2023103835
Sep 25, 202352310
Oct 9, 202321218
Oct 16, 2023232818160
Oct 23, 202366226
Oct 30, 20231316979
Nov 20, 20231011549
Dec 4, 20231110536
Dec 11, 202344413
Dec 18, 20232115
Jan 22, 202435214
Apr 29, 20242147
May 27, 20241309
Jul 29, 202425032
Aug 5, 202414422
Aug 26, 202491612131
Sep 2, 202485129
Sep 23, 202414329
Sep 30, 202477649
Oct 14, 20240508
Oct 21, 20241147
Nov 4, 2024614983
Nov 25, 202415171795
Jan 13, 2025812758

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

33% left · 52% center · 15% right of 193 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 36 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. August 2023

    Aug 10Prosecutors seek Jan. 2 trial date for Donald Trump in his 2020 election conspiracy case45 articles · 34 independent sources
    11 left, 8 center, 3 right
  2. Aug 17– 18Trump lawyers seek April 2026 trial date in federal election subversion case38 articles · 31 independent sources
    7 left, 10 center, 4 right
  3. Aug 28– 29Trump trial set for March 4, 2024, in federal case charging him with plotting to overturn election118 articles · 65 independent sources
    15 left, 20 center, 10 right

  4. September 2023

    Sep 15– 16Trump "daring" judge to impose Jack Smith gag order request: Legal analyst19 articles · 15 independent sources
    5 left, 1 center, 6 right
  5. Sep 15– 16Prosecutors seek narrow gag order on Trump in federal election case after ‘inflammatory’ comments18 articles · 17 independent sources
    5 left, 3 center, 2 right
  6. Sep 26– 29Commentary: Is it time for a federal judge to put a gag order on Donald Trump?10 articles · 10 independent sources
    5 left, 2 center, 3 right

  7. October 2023

    Oct 14A proposed gag order on Trump in his federal election case is putting the judge in a tricky position17 articles · 12 independent sources
    2 left, 1 center, 2 right
  8. Oct 14– 21Judge temporarily lifts narrow gag order on Trump in 2020 election interference case59 articles · 41 independent sources
    8 left, 12 center, 13 right
  9. Oct 16– 18Trump has narrow gag order imposed on him by federal judge overseeing 2020 election subversion case106 articles · 63 independent sources
    18 left, 21 center, 13 right
  10. Oct 25– 26Federal prosecutors urge judge to reinstate Trump gag order26 articles · 23 independent sources
    6 left, 6 center, 2 right
  11. Oct 30– Nov 3Federal appeals courts temporarily lifts Trump’s gag order41 articles · 23 independent sources
    8 left, 6 center, 6 right
  12. Oct 30Judge reinstates gag order on Donald Trump in election interference case29 articles · 23 independent sources
    2 left, 11 center, 3 right
  13. Oct 30Judge Chutkan reinstates Donald Trump's gag order10 articles · 8 independent sources
    5 left, 1 center, 2 right

  14. November 2023

    Nov 20– 21An appeals court hears arguments about Trump's gag order in Jan. 6 case52 articles · 35 independent sources
    10 left, 11 center, 5 right

  15. December 2023

    Dec 8Appeals court upholds gag order on Trump in Washington case but narrows restrictions on his speech38 articles · 33 independent sources
    11 left, 10 center, 5 right
  16. Dec 13– 18Trump's lawyers ask full appeals court to review gag order restricting his speech in election case19 articles · 18 independent sources
    6 left, 5 center, 4 right

  17. January 2024

    Jan 23Appeals court rejects Trump’s bid to reconsider gag order in the election interference case15 articles · 15 independent sources
    3 left, 5 center, 2 right

  18. April 2024

    Apr 30Judge holds Trump in contempt of court over gag violations7 articles · 7 independent sources
    2 left, 1 center, 4 right

  19. June 2024

    Jun 1Is Trump still under a gag order after his conviction? Here's what we know9 articles · 5 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 0 right

  20. August 2024

    Aug 2– 4Judge in Trump's federal election subversion case rejects defense effort to dismiss the prosecution27 articles · 20 independent sources
    0 left, 4 center, 0 right
  21. Aug 2Judge Chutkan could jumpstart Trump election interference case now that it’s back in her court6 articles · 6 independent sources
    2 left, 1 center, 0 right
  22. Aug 9Special counsel Jack Smith asks judge to delay next steps in Trump election interference case22 articles · 9 independent sources
    1 left, 4 center, 4 right
  23. Aug 27– 28Trump election case sees new indictment134 articles · 67 independent sources
    9 left, 16 center, 12 right

  24. September 2024

    Sep 5Trump election subversion case back in court as judge holds hearing that could set its path forward11 articles · 11 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 1 right
  25. Sep 5Courtroom clash in Trump’s election interference case at a hearing that could set the path ahead19 articles · 15 independent sources
    7 left, 3 center, 0 right
  26. Sep 23– 27Jack Smith's evidence update as judge sets deadline for Trump10 articles · 5 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 2 right
  27. Sep 26– 27Prosecutors file sealed brief detailing allegations against Trump in election interference case19 articles · 15 independent sources
    0 left, 3 center, 2 right

  28. October 2024

    Oct 1– 3Trump claims new Jack Smith filing is election interference. Here's how it became public.50 articles · 31 independent sources
    7 left, 7 center, 6 right
  29. Oct 17– 18Judge unseals heavily redacted trove of evidence in Trump’s 2020 election interference case9 articles · 8 independent sources
    0 left, 5 center, 0 right
  30. Oct 24– 25Trump's lawyers seek dismissal of federal election case, call special counsel illegally appointed7 articles · 7 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 4 right

  31. November 2024

    Nov 6– 7Special counsel evaluating how to wind down two federal cases against Trump after presidential win29 articles · 21 independent sources
    3 left, 7 center, 2 right
  32. Nov 6DOJ moving to wind down Trump criminal cases before he takes office10 articles · 5 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 2 right
  33. Nov 7– 8Special counsel Jack Smith seeks pause in Trump's election interference criminal trial13 articles · 13 independent sources
    2 left, 4 center, 5 right
  34. Nov 8– 9Judge cancels court deadlines in Trump's 2020 election case after his presidential win32 articles · 22 independent sources
    2 left, 3 center, 1 right
  35. Nov 25– 26Prosecutor drops federal cases against Trump98 articles · 58 independent sources
    15 left, 17 center, 17 right

  36. January 2025

    Jan 14Special Counsel's final report on Trump's presidential election interference case released60 articles · 31 independent sources
    8 left, 12 center, 7 right