A New York judge on Thursday rejected Donald Trump’s request to drop criminal charges in connection with a 2016 hush-hush payment to a porn star, paving the way for the first-ever criminal trial against a former US president. Reuters reports.

Donald Trump is in court, where he was chargedPhoto: Andrew Kelly/AP/Profimedia

Judge Juan Mercan set a March 25 trial date for the case, one of four criminal trials Trump faces as he seeks the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden in the Nov. 5 U.S. election.

Donald Trump, 77, asked Judge Juan Mercan to dismiss a 34-count indictment against him in the case, which accuses him of falsifying accounting documents to cover a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.

But Merchan took less than 10 minutes to deny his request and confirm a March 25 trial start date.

Before the hearing, Trump repeated his statements about the case being politically motivated.

“They wouldn’t have started this (trial) if it wasn’t for the fact that I’m running for president and I’m doing fine,” Trump said in a hallway outside the courtroom.

The trial is scheduled to begin before the other three criminal trials Trump faces.

Trump was indicted in the case about a year ago, becoming the first sitting or former president to face criminal charges. Then he declared that he would plead not guilty at the trial.