The federal judge presiding over former President Donald Trump's 2020 election subversion case warned any more "inflammatory" statements he makes could speed up the start of his Jan. 6-related criminal trial.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, presided over a hearing on Friday about the former president's dispute with a proposed protective order requested by special counsel Jack Smith.

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"The defense has reiterated at length Mr. Trump’s First Amendment right to speak about this case and any evidence in it," she said, noting Trump will be afforded all the rights of any criminal defense and that it will take an effort to avoid "a carnival atmosphere."

The more a party makes “inflammatory” statements that could taint a jury pool, she said, “the greater the urgency will be that we proceed to trial quickly” to ensure a fair trial.

Federal prosecutors led by Smith proposed a Jan. 2, 2024, start time for the trial, which is just four days before the anniversary of the riot at the U.S. Capitol and just before the Iowa caucuses.

Smith's team also wants to have jury selection before the winter holidays. Deliberations over the trial start will likely begin when lawyers reconvene at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Aug. 28 for the next status conference.

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Trump objected to the proposal in a Truth Social post, maintaining his position that any trial should wait until after the election.

Chutkan could decide the timeline for the trial by the end of this month.