NEW YORK — A judge has determined that conservative strategist Steve Bannon will not go to trial until February regarding state charges that he conspired to mislead donors in the effort to construct a border wall. This announcement was made during a hearing where prosecutors requested anonymity for the jury.

Bannon participated in the court proceedings virtually and did not speak much, only confirming he understood he needed to appear in court on the newly scheduled date of February 25 for jury selection, which has been postponed from the initial date next month.

Once an advisor to former President Donald Trump, Bannon had recently completed a four-month sentence in federal prison related to a contempt of Congress case. He had been previously scheduled to stand trial on December 9 related to the charity known as WeBuildTheWall Inc., where he served as chairman of the advisory board.

The postponement of the trial occurred after the judge allowed potential jurors to review evidence indicating that funds from the charity were used to settle a credit card debt exceeding $600,000 that another non-profit organization linked to Bannon had accumulated in 2019. Prosecutors argued this information was relevant, while defense attorneys contended it was not.

Bannon has entered a plea of not guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy and money laundering. This case was initiated by Manhattan prosecutors following the pardon Bannon received from Trump for similar federal charges, which were just beginning to unfold at that time.

The judge still needs to make a decision on whether the identities of the jurors will remain confidential during the trial.