The date for former President Donald Trump's hush money case has been set, landing in the middle of the primary season.

Judge Juan Merchan announced Trump's criminal trial for March 25, right in the middle of his efforts to win the GOP primary.

Manhattan Judge Sets Trump’s Hush-Money Criminal Case Trial For Middle Of Primary Season https://t.co/H3by4q1aZo via @dailycaller

— Mary Smith 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 (@MarySmi68196447) May 23, 2023

Trump's response

“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 wrote on Truth Social.

“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 added.

Donald Trump threw up his hands in frustration Tuesday as a judge scheduled his criminal trial for March 25, putting the former president and current candidate in a courtroom in the heat of next year’s presidential primary season. https://t.co/dmiRa2nRlQ

— Fox5NY (@fox5ny) May 24, 2023

The details

"Trump, wearing a blue suit against a backdrop of American flags at his Florida estate, then turned to a lawyer by his side — their brief discussion inaudible on the video feed — before sitting with his arms folded for the remainder of the hearing," Fox 5 NY reported.

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

BREAKING: A judge in New York has tentatively scheduled former President Donald Trump's trial for March 25, a date that falls in the heat of the presidential primary season. Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. https://t.co/fdxUqmBXpq

— WPSD Local 6 (@WPSDLocal6) May 23, 2023

"Trump is allowed to speak publicly about the criminal case, according to Merchan’s order, but he risks being held in contempt if he uses evidence turned over by prosecutors in the pretrial discovery process to target witnesses or others involved in the case," WPSD-TV reported.

"Merchan’s protective order bars Trump and his lawyers from disseminating evidence to third parties or posting it to social media, and it requires that certain, sensitive material shared by prosecutors be kept only by Trump’s lawyers, not Trump himself," it also noted.

More battles

The investigation is in addition to other legal battles Trump has faced in recent weeks, including being found liable in a sexual assault case with E. Jean Carroll that included $5 million in fines.

Trump's Truth Social company has also sued the Washington Post over defamation claims against the media company.

The legal battles continue to pile up as Trump continues his bid for a comeback to the White House in 2024.