Former President Trump announced on Sunday that his legal team will request a recusal of the judge overseeing his federal case related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election. He also mentioned a desire for a venue change, stating that he believes he will not receive a fair trial in Washington, D.C.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “There is no way I can get a fair trial with the judge ‘assigned’ to the ridiculous freedom of speech/fair elections case. Everybody knows this, and so does she! We will be immediately asking for recusal of this judge on very powerful grounds, and likewise for venue change, out [of] D.C.”
Additionally, Trump once again expressed criticism towards special counsel Jack Smith, calling him “deranged” and suggesting that he intentionally timed the case to coincide with Trump’s election campaign in 2024.
Trump’s recent posts on Truth Social followed a series of discussions between prosecutors and his defense team regarding a protective order requested by the government. The order aims to prevent Trump from publicly sharing evidence in the case.
Judge Tanya Chutkan, assigned to oversee the trial, rejected Trump’s team’s request for a deadline extension concerning the handling of evidence in the case.
On Sunday morning, one of Trump’s attorneys, John Lauro, made appearances on morning news shows, providing insight into the defense’s approach. Lauro argued that Trump’s actions were protected by the First Amendment as he contested the election and emphasized that he never explicitly directed anyone to overturn the election, characterizing his statements as “aspirational.”
Trump has repeatedly claimed that he cannot receive a fair trial from a jury in D.C. due to its Democratic majority. He has suggested the possibility of moving the trial to West Virginia, a state he won by a significant margin in the 2020 election.
Last week, Trump was formally charged with four counts alleging that he engaged in unlawful actions to retain power after losing to Joe Biden in the 2020 election. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.