By Andrew Goudsward
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. judge on Friday posed a question to former President : would he like to appear on television during his upcoming federal court trial for charges related to his attempt to overturn the 2020 election?
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington has asked Trump’s legal team to provide their opinion by November 10 regarding media requests to broadcast the trial, which is scheduled to take place in March of 2024.
In separate filings, NBC News and a coalition of 19 media organizations and press advocacy groups have argued that the public has the right to witness an unprecedented trial involving a former U.S. president who is also the leading candidate for the 2024 Republican nomination. They assert that a federal rule prohibiting the broadcast of criminal proceedings is unconstitutional.
Prosecutors, who have expressed opposition to these requests, have yet to provide a reasoning for their stance. They are required to submit their argument by November 3.
Trump’s lead lawyer in the case, , previously voiced his personal support for televising the trial in an interview with CNN. Lauro told Reuters on Friday that Trump will respond “in accordance with the Court’s Order.”
It remains uncertain whether Trump, a former reality television star known for seeking publicity throughout his business and political endeavors, will want his trial to be broadcasted, especially considering it falls in the midst of the Republican nominating contest.
Trump has extensively shared his thoughts with TV cameras stationed outside a New York state courtroom where he is currently being tried for civil business-fraud charges.
Unlike several state courts, federal courts prohibit TV cameras and photography in their courtrooms. However, a U.S. judicial panel agreed on Thursday to consider relaxing this ban on broadcasting, although any changes would only occur after Trump’s trial in this case and another upcoming criminal trial in May, relating to his alleged mishandling of classified documents.
Proceedings for a separate criminal election-subversion case in Georgia, involving Trump and a group of defendants, have been televised. Additionally, Trump is scheduled to stand trial in March in New York for a case linked to a hush-money payment made to a porn star.
Trump has pleaded not guilty and accused prosecutors of interfering with his 2024 presidential campaign.
(Reporting by Andrew Goudsward; editing by Andy Sullivan and Jonathan Oatis)
