WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Thursday, former President Trump lashed out at the Department of Justice (DOJ) when Special Counsel Jack Smith proposed January 2, 2024, as the date Trump should stand trial on charges related to his actions on January 6, 2021.
“ELECTION INTERFERENCE”
Trump posted that “only a lunatic” would propose a trial date so close to Iowa’s January 15 Republican caucuses. The former president also accused the federal government of election interference and said any trial should be scheduled after the election, “if at all.”
“Deranged Jack Smith has just asked for a trial on the Biden Indictment to take place on January 2, just ahead of the important Iowa Caucuses,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Only an out of touch lunatic would ask for such a date, ONE DAY into the New Year, and maximum Election Interference with IOWA!”
Earlier Thursday, prosecutors from Smith’s office proposed January 2, 2024 as the trial start date and said they expect to take no longer than four to six weeks to present their evidence.
TWO FEDERAL TRIALS
“[A] January 2 trial date would vindicate the public’s strong interest in a speedy trial – an interest guaranteed by the Constitution and federal law in all cases, but of particular significance here, where the defendant, a former president, is charged with conspiring to overturn the legitimate results of the 2020 presidential election, obstruct the certification of the election results, and discount citizens’ legitimate votes,” prosecutors Molly Gaston and Thomas Windom wrote in a court filing.
Trump’s lawyers must respond to the DOJ’s proposal by next Thursday. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan indicated she would set the trial date during an August 28 hearing.
Trump is now facing two federal trials that could affect his ability to campaign ahead of the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) nominee selection process on July 15, 2024. On Wednesday, the former president told Newsmax’s Eric Bolling that he would not sign the loyalty pledge required by the RNC for candidates to participate in the first primary debate.
