Web Desk
A judge announced on Tuesday that former US President Donald Trump will face a criminal trial in New York on March 25, 2024. This means that Trump will be on trial while actively campaigning for the 2024 Republican nomination.
Trump is charged with falsifying business records to hide a hush money payment to a porn star. As states hold presidential nominating contests next spring, Trump, the front-runner for the Republican nomination, is expected to travel across the country alongside his rivals.
Justice Juan Merchan, presiding over the Manhattan state court, set the trial date during a hearing where Trump appeared remotely from Florida, accompanied by his lawyer Todd Blanche. Merchan also informed Trump about restrictions on discussing certain evidence provided by the prosecutors.
Several screens in the courtroom displayed Trump and his lawyer seated in front of US flags.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 criminal counts. In a post on his Truth Social platform following the hearing, he claimed that his right to free speech had been violated, expressing frustration with the trial date falling in the midst of the primary season and calling it “election interference.”
According to New York prosecutors, Trump attempted to conceal reimbursements made to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, for a $130,000 payment to porn star Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels. Cohen has stated that he made the payment to secure her silence about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump before the 2016 election, an allegation that Trump denies.
Prosecutors argue that the reimbursements violated New York election law and federal campaign contribution limits.
During the hearing, Trump only spoke to inform the court that he possessed a copy of the May 8 order restricting him from disclosing certain evidence to third parties, including news outlets and social media.
Trump’s lawyer, Blanche, expressed concern that the order infringed upon his client’s First Amendment rights to freedom of speech. However, he assured Trump that Merchan did not intend to suppress his speech, emphasizing that the restriction was not a complete gag order preventing him from publicly discussing the case.
Merchan clarified that his intention was not to impede Trump’s campaign activities and stated that Trump was free to deny and defend himself against the charges.
The judge cautioned that violating the restrictions could result in holding Trump in contempt of court.
The restrictions imposed on Trump pertain to grand jury minutes, witness statements, and other materials that prosecutors are obligated to provide to the defense for trial preparation. Prosecutors argue that the order was necessary due to Trump’s history of social media attacks and the potential harassment of witnesses.
