Trump slams 'very unfair' March 25 trial date

TORONTO

Former US President Donald Trump dubbed as “very unfair” a court’s decision Tuesday on a trial date when he appeared virtually for a hearing regarding his criminal case.

Judge Juan Merchan said Trump would stand trial March 25, 2024 for making a $130,000 hush payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

"Just had New York County Supreme Court hearing where I believe my First Amendment Rights, ‘Freedom of Speech,’ have been violated, and they forced upon us a trial date of March 25th, right in the middle of Primary season," Trump said on Truth Social, his proprietary social media platform.

"Very unfair, but this is exactly what the Radical Left Democrats wanted. It’s called ELECTION INTERFERENCE, and nothing like this has ever happened in our Country before!!!" he said.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges of falsifying business records.

The trial comes after Trump was found liable earlier this month for sexually abusing and defaming former magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll.

A Manhattan jury reached the verdict in a civil lawsuit, and ordered the former president to pay Carroll $5 million in damages. Trump denied the accusation.