Judge in Trump election case schedules hearing Friday on DOJ protective order

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan has scheduled a Friday hearing to address the Department of Justice's request for a protective order to keep former President Donald Trump from publicly sharing evidence in the case.

Trump will not be required to attend the 10 a.m. Friday hearing, The Hill reported. Special counsel Jack Smith requested the order after indicting Trump on four criminal counts, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government, threatening constitutional rights, conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding, and obstruction of an official proceeding. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

"No, I shouldn’t have a protective order placed on me because it would impinge upon my right to FREE SPEECH," Trump posted on Monday to Truth Social. "Deranged Jack Smith and the Department of Injustice should, however, because they are illegally “leaking” all over the place!"

Smith previously brought separate charges against Trump in Florida over his alleged mishandling of classified documents. Trump has maintained his innocence and contended that Smith's myriad indictments, as well as that of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and a potential indictment from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, are part of a concerted political witch hunt seeking to derail his campaign.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.