braking news Trump pushes for lengthy pre-trial process in

The upcoming hearing, presided over by Judge Tanya Chutkan, is expected to be contentious as it will determine the case's trajectory. This hearing follows the Supreme Court's ruling that granted Trump some immunity in the prosecution. Smith has adjusted his indictment to align with this ruling, which limits the use of obstruction charges related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

Trump plans to challenge the legality of Smith's appointment and seeks to dismiss the case, arguing that the grand jury considered immunized evidence. He also intends to raise potential challenges to the charges, which could further extend the timeline.

The parties disagree on the order of operations, with Smith wanting to address the Supreme Court's immunity ruling first, while Trump wants to challenge his appointment beforehand. Trump's proposed schedule includes a lengthy process for resolving the immunity question, with any related discovery disputes not expected to be resolved until late January at the earliest.