Donald Trump’s legal team has formally requested the recusal of U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing his election subversion case in Washington. They argue that Judge Chutkan’s previous public statements about the former president and his connection to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot raise concerns about her impartiality.

This move adds to the ongoing tension between Trump’s defense team and the judge, who has warned against Trump’s inflammatory comments but is unlikely to step aside. Special counsel Jack Smith’s team has expressed concern that Trump’s statements could influence potential jurors. Chutkan has set the trial date for March 4, 2024, despite objections from the defense.

Trump’s legal team’s request for recusal draws parallels to a similar attempt in a New York hush-money case. Federal judges are expected to recuse themselves when their impartiality is reasonably questioned. Trump’s lawyers claim that Chutkan’s prior comments indicate she has already formed an opinion about Trump’s guilt, potentially impacting the fairness of the proceedings.

The defense cites Chutkan’s comments in previous Jan. 6 cases to support their argument.

Credit: AP