Today in one sentence: Trump’s trial on federal charges that he conspired to overturn his 2020 election loss will start March 4; a federal judge in Atlanta heard arguments to determine whether Mark Meadows’s status as Trump’s chief of staff protects him from being tried in state court; Trump and his 18 co-defendants will be arraigned Sept. 6 in Atlanta; Kevin McCarthy suggested that a Biden impeachment inquiry is “a natural step forward” when Congress returns from its August recess; 61% of Americans want Trump's election subversion case to take place before the 2024 presidential election; 50% of Americans think Trump should suspend his campaign after his fourth indictment; 50% of Republican primary voters plan to vote for Trump; and 77% of Americans say Biden is too old for a second term.

1/ Trump’s trial on federal charges that he conspired to overturn his 2020 election loss will start March 4 – two years sooner than he requested and one day before Super Tuesday, when 14 states hold their presidential primaries. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan refused Trump’s request to push off the trial until April 2026, saying that was “far beyond what is necessary” and that “setting a trial date does not depend and should not depend on the defendant’s personal or professional obligations.” Chutkan added: “The public has a right to a prompt and efficient resolution of this matter,” noting that “there is a societal interest to a speedy trial.” A federal grand jury indicted Trump on four charges this month: conspiracy to defraud the U.S.; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction; and conspiracy against the right to vote and to have one’s vote counted. Elsewhere, Trump’s criminal trial in New York on charges of falsifying business records related to hush money payments is set for March 25. And in Florida, special counsel Jack Smith’s case accusing Trump of mishandling classified records is set for May 20. In Georgia, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis requested that Trump’s racketeering trial start Oct. 23, 2023. Willis initially proposed a March 4 start date, but one Trump’s co-defendants, Kenneth Chesebro, demanded a speedier trial. (New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / NPR / ABC News / NBC News / CBS News / CNN / Washington Post / Politico / Bloomberg / CNBC)

2/ A federal judge in Atlanta heard arguments to determine whether Mark Meadows’s status as Trump’s chief of staff protects him from being tried in state court. Meadows, who was indicted in Georgia on charges that he conspired with Trump to overturn the 2020 presidential election, asked to move the Fulton County case to federal court, saying his actions “all occurred during his tenure and as part of his service as Chief of Staff.” Meadows spent more than two and a half hours testifying. Other defendants in the case, including Trump, are expected to raise similar immunity arguments that their actions were part of their responsibilities as a White House official. A decision is expected soon, and could apply to all 19 defendants. (NBC News / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / Washington Post / New York Times / ABC News / Bloomberg / Politico)

3/ Trump and his 18 co-defendants will be arraigned Sept. 6 in Atlanta on charges that they conspired to overturn the result of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. At their arraignments, the defendants will formally hear the charges brought against them and enter their pleas. Trump’s arraignment will take place at 9:30 a.m. ET, followed by Rudy Giuliani’s arraignment at 9:45 a.m. The arraignments of the remaining 17 co-defendants will continue after that at 15-minute intervals. (Associated Press / The Hill / CNBC / NBC News / ABC News)

4/ Kevin McCarthy suggested that a Biden impeachment inquiry is “a natural step forward” when Congress returns from its August recess. McCarthy has reportedly told Republicans he plans to pursue impeachment – over claims of financial misconduct involving his son Hunter – and plans to start the process by the end of September. The White House dismissed McCarthy’s remarks as a “crazy exercise […] rooted not in facts and truth but partisan shamelessness.” Meanwhile, a Republican on the House Appropriations Committee proposed defunding the “prosecution of any major presidential candidate prior to the upcoming presidential election.” Andrew Clyde’s two amendments would “prohibit the use of federal funding” for both state and federal prosecutions, and its expected to marked up in the House Appropriations Committee after the House returns in mid-September. (NBC News / CNN / Associated Press)

poll/ 61% of Americans want Trump’s election subversion case to take place before the 2024 presidential election. Among Democrats, 89% want Trump to stand trial before the election, while 33% of Republicans agree. 63% of independents also want Trump’s trial to take place before the election. (Politico)

poll/ 50% of Americans think Trump should suspend his campaign after his fourth indictment. (ABC News)

poll/ 50% of Republican primary voters plan to vote for Trump – his lowest support to date. 43% say there is a chance they could change their mind and vote for someone else. (Emerson College)

poll/ 77% of Americans say Biden is too old for a second term, including 69% of Democrats and 89% of Republicans. (Associated Press)