Trump: 'Our ultimate retribution is success'
Former President Trump explains how he plans to not focus on retribution in his second term during a Fox News town hall in Iowa.
Former President Donald Trump took to the stage Wednesday for a live town hall from Iowa, where he is taking questions on the leading issues facing voters in the Hawkeye State and across the nation.
The Fox News town hall began at 9 p.m. ET and is being co-moderated by "Special Report" chief political anchor Bret Baier and "The Story" executive editor and anchor Martha MacCallum ahead of the critical Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses.
Trump, who leads the Republican primary field by a massive margin, stands at or above 50% support in the latest polls in Iowa.
His rankings fall miles ahead of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who are battling for a distant second place.
FOX NEWS TO HOST TRUMP TOWN HALL WITH BRET BAIER, MARTHA MACCALLUM AHEAD OF IOWA CAUCUSES
Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event Dec. 19, 2023, in Waterloo, Iowa. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Trump’s participation in the town hall Wednesday night comes days after he delivered a major campaign speech in Iowa and as his campaign is rolling out its surrogate operation.
Trump campaign sources told Fox News Digital they are booking top-level surrogates to do their own events and stops across Iowa ahead of the Iowa caucuses. A campaign source told Fox News Digital the surrogates will be "blanketing" the airwaves and Iowa ahead of the caucuses.
"The Story" executive editor and anchor Martha MacCallum and "Special Report" chief political anchor Bret Baier will co-moderate Fox News town halls three straight nights starting Monday. (FOX)
The town hall also comes after Trump spent Tuesday in federal court.
TRUMP STARTS 2024 IN ‘STRONGEST POSSIBLE POSITION’ IN REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY RACE
The former president attended a hearing at the D.C. Court of Appeals Wednesday that considered the scope of his presidential immunity. Trump is seeking to have special counsel Jack Smith’s case against him dismissed. His attorneys argue presidential immunity protects him from being prosecuted.
The trial was scheduled for March 4, the day before the March 5 Super Tuesday primary contests, when Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Vermont vote to select a GOP nominee.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump waves to a crowd on the field during halftime in the Palmetto Bowl between Clemson and South Carolina at Williams Brice Stadium Nov. 25, 2023, in Columbia, S.C. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Trump pleaded not guilty in federal court in August to all four federal charges stemming from Smith's investigation into 2020 election interference and the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently rejected Smith's appeal to expedite its assessment of the immunity claim before it went fully through a federal appeals court. Trump's legal team asked the court to deny Smith's request.
Trump, the Republican frontrunner, would beat President Biden in a head-to-head matchup if the general election were held today, according to the latest Fox News Poll. Trump was indicted four times in 2023. He pleaded not guilty to all charges in all jurisdictions.
The former president is forced to now tackle competing calendars, with critical early state primary election days and trial dates.
Next on the calendar after Smith’s trial is set is the trial stemming from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s years-long investigation related to hush-money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Donald Trump and Jack Smith
That trial is scheduled to begin in New York City March 25, 2024. However, Bragg said he would be flexible on that date, pending the decision on trial timing in Smith’s Jan. 6 case.
If it does begin March 25, court proceedings will take place just after the Louisiana primary and ahead of April 2, when Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Rhode Island and Wisconsin voters hit the polls to select a GOP nominee.
Smith also charged Trump from his investigation into the former president’s alleged improper retention of classified records from his presidency at his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Trump pleaded not guilty to all 37 felony charges in that probe. The charges include willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice and false statements.
COURT DATES AND PRIMARIES: TRUMP FACES COMPETING CALENDARS IN 2024
Trump was then charged with an additional three counts as part of a superseding indictment out of Smith’s investigation — an additional count of willful retention of national defense information and two additional obstruction counts. Trump pleaded not guilty.
That trial is scheduled to begin May 20, 2024, ahead of the Kentucky primary May 21, the Oregon primary May 25 and New Jersey's primary June 4.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
Should Trump solidify his GOP lead, he would spend July 15-18 at the Republican Convention in Milwaukee.
Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani Willis proposed her trial begin just weeks after that.
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Willis charged Trump for his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state. Trump was charged with one count of violating Georgia's RICO Act, three counts of criminal solicitation, six counts of criminal conspiracy, one count of filing false documents and two counts of making false statements.
He pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Fulton County prosecutors have proposed that trial begin Aug. 5, 2024.
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