WINDHAM, N.H. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump continued his attacks on special counsel Jack Smith and vowed to keep discussing his criminal cases despite efforts by prosecutors to limit the evidence he can share.
In New Hampshire, Trump criticized Smith as a “thug prosecutor” and a “deranged guy” following his indictment on felony charges related to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results and the Capitol insurrection on January 6, 2021. The Department of Justice has requested a protective order to prevent Trump from publicly disclosing evidence, arguing that he is trying to influence public opinion rather than letting the case proceed in court.
A hearing on the protective order is scheduled for Friday. Trump posted on his social media network after his rally, attacking U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing the case. Trump’s lawyers argue that the order is too broad and violates his First Amendment rights to free speech, which he reiterated during his rally.
Trump claimed he needs to be able to respond to reporters’ questions about the case on the campaign trail and referred to the movie “2000 Mules,” which made false claims about mail ballots, drop boxes, and ballot collection in the 2020 election. He insisted that these issues will come up during the trial.
The Justice Department has accused Trump of orchestrating a scheme to block the peaceful transfer of power in the four-count indictment. Despite multiple people telling him his claims were false, Trump continued to spread them to create public doubt about the election. Trump maintained his lies about the election during the rally, contradicting numerous officials and courts who found no evidence of the fraud he alleges.
In addition to the charges he faces in Florida and New York, Trump may also be indicted in Fulton County, Georgia, in connection with efforts to illegally interfere in the 2020 election. He launched a personal attack against the county district attorney, Fani Willis, who is Black, accusing her of being a racist and claiming she wants to indict him for personal gain.
Trump revealed during the rally that his legal problems have taken a toll on his campaign, with more than $40 million spent on legal fees this year. While he usually portrays the investigations as politically motivated, he acknowledged that they are diverting his time and money away from the campaign trail.
The crowd at the rally cheered as Trump criticized the legal proceedings, with chants of “bull——!” Trump acknowledged the chants with a smile and thanked the crowd.
(Approximate word count: 411)