Donald Trump’s legal team caused a stir during a court hearing when his attorney suggested that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas had advised them on their defense strategy. The comment led to a tense exchange with U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan on Thursday.
John Lauro, Trump’s attorney, was arguing that a decision by Florida-based Judge Aileen Cannon challenging the authority of special counsel Jack Smith should apply in the case related to Trump’s alleged election interference in the District of Columbia. Lauro stated that Justice Thomas, in a concurring opinion in a D.C. immunity ruling, had raised concerns about Smith’s authority, which Cannon then used to dismiss Trump’s charges in a separate case involving classified documents.
However, the moment that caught Chutkan off guard was when Lauro appeared to suggest that Thomas had directly influenced their legal argument. According to CBS News correspondent Scott MacFarlane, Lauro said, “Thomas directed us to raise this issue.”
Chutkan, visibly surprised, questioned the statement: “He directed you to do it?” Lauro quickly walked back his claim, clarifying, “Well, he didn’t direct us to,” MacFarlane reported.
Judge Chutkan, undeterred, pressed on with the hearing, reminding Trump’s legal team that the deadline for challenging the appointment of special counsel Jack Smith had already passed. MSNBC’s Katie Phang noted that Chutkan was also clear in her stance, stating that she did not find Judge Cannon’s opinion persuasive.
Despite this, Lauro continued to argue that Justice Thomas’ concurrence was essentially a signal for them to pursue the legal challenge. “When you read Justice Thomas’ concurrence, he’s telling us to file this motion,” Lauro insisted, according to Phang. The hearing highlighted the complexities of Trump’s legal strategy and raised questions about the defense’s interpretation of Supreme Court opinions, particularly those involving Justice Thomas.
the case continues, it remains to be seen how these arguments will play out in court and what impact they might have on the broader legal proceedings against Trump. The exchange is likely to draw further attention to the high-stakes legal battle Trump faces and the tactics his defense team is using to challenge the authority of special counsel Jack Smith.