Donald Trump threw up his hands in frustration on Tuesday when a judge scheduled his criminal trial for March 25, placing the former president and current nominee in a Manhattan courtroom in the heat of next year’s presidential primary season.

Trump, who appeared via video conference at a pretrial hearing in the hush money case, glared at the camera as New York Judge Juan Manuel Merchan advised him to cancel all other obligations for the duration of the trial, which could take several weeks .

Trump, dressed in a blue suit against a backdrop of American flags at his Florida estate, then turned to a lawyer at his side for their brief discussion that was inaudible on the video feed, before holding his arms out for the rest of the hearing. sat together.

Trump had pleaded not guilty last month to 34 counts of falsifying business records at his family business, the Trump Organization.

Trump has made the New York case and the long list of other investigations he faces central to his campaign to reclaim the White House, portraying himself as the victim of a coordinated effort to sully his chances. Trump often discusses the matters at his rallies and in other speeches, and has repeatedly attacked prosecutors and judges by name.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Merchan reviewed an order barring Trump from publicly distributing certain evidence handed over by prosecutors.

Trump was spared a personal appearance at the courthouse, avoiding the mammoth security and logistical challenges associated with his settlement last month. Instead, the Republican connected via video conference, beaming his face onto the TV monitors in the courtroom.

Under Merchan’s order, Trump is allowed to speak publicly about the criminal case, but risks scorn if he uses evidence handed over by prosecutors in the pre-trial process to attack witnesses or others involved in the case.

Trump faces 34 felony charges for falsifying business records related to payments his company made to his former attorney, Michael Cohen. Prosecutors say those payments were intended to reimburse and compensate Cohen for orchestrating hush money payments during the 2016 campaign to bury allegations of extramarital sexual encounters. Trump denies having had extramarital affairs and says the accuser is politically motivated.

Merchan’s protective order prohibits Trump and his lawyers from distributing evidence to third parties or posting it on social media, and it requires certain sensitive material shared by prosecutors to be kept only by Trump’s lawyers, not Trump himself.

Prosecutors sought the warrant shortly after Trump’s arrest, citing what they say is his history of making intimidating, embarrassing and threatening statements about people with whom he has been involved in legal disputes.

Merchan, noting Trump’s special status as a former president and current candidate, has made it clear that the protective order should not be taken as a gag order and that Trump has the right to defend himself publicly.

Trump’s lawyers are trying to move his criminal case to federal court. It will continue in state court as that plays out.