Jack Smith, the special counsel in the Department of Justice’s investigation into former President Donald Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss, proposed a January 2 trial date Thursday, putting the trial just days ahead of the first Republican primary contest, despite heavy pushback from the former president.
Department of Justice Special Counsel Jack Smith recommended a January 2, 2024 trial date for former ... [+]
Smith proposed January 2, 2024 as the start of Trump’s trial, following a jury selection period starting on December 11, saying the timeline represented a “prompt trial date that serves the public’s interest and the interests of justice.”
Trump pleaded not guilty last week to four federal counts, including obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, following his third high-profile indictment since announcing his 2024 presidential bid late last year.
Trump has taken to his social media platform Truth Social to roundly blast the Department of Justice over its investigation, which he labeled a “witch hunt,” arguing the indictments “aren’t legit” and “were all thrown up at me, quickly and haphazardly.” One of Trump’s primary objections to the indictment has been its timing, arguing online and in campaign events that the DOJ intended to “interfere” with the 2024 election by refusing to wait until after the election is over.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Trump Indicted: GOP Slams Justice Department In Attacks Following Jan. 6 Charges (Forbes)