Former US president Donald Trump made a video appearance on Tuesday in a hearing for his New York criminal case, with the judge tentatively setting a trial date for late March of next year.
The hearing lasted about 15 minutes.
Mr Trump’s video feed was muted for most of the hearing, allowing him to confer freely with his lawyer, Todd Blanche, who sat by his side in front of a backdrop of American flags.
The former president, who is seeking a return to the White House, has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges over alleged hush money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election.
Justice Juan Merchan set the trial date for March 25, 2024.
At the start of the hearing, Mr Blanche told Mr Merchan that Mr Trump, who was joining the hearing from Florida, understood that he could not disclose certain evidence in the case to third parties, including to news outlets and on social media.
The restrictions on Mr Trump concern grand jury minutes, witness statements and other materials that prosecutors are required to turn over to the defence to prepare for trial.
Prosecutors have said the order was needed because of Mr Trump's history of personal attacks on social media and the risk that witnesses might be harassed.
Mr Trump has already been warned to avoid inflammatory rhetoric. He has previously called Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is black, a “racist in reverse” and an “animal”.
The judge had previously ruled that Mr Trump is free to discuss most of the evidence in the case, which comes from Mr Trump's defence.
“Manhattan is home to the country’s most significant business market. We cannot allow New York businesses to manipulate their records to cover up criminal conduct,” Mr Bragg said in a statement.
The former president has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels and denies any wrongdoing.
