DOJ veteran explains why the federal criminal case against Trump should be televised for all

The judge overseeing the federal criminal case against Donald Trump has the option to allow live coverage of the trial, and a roadmap to do so, former acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal said on Thursday.

Judge Aileen Cannon has already made an initial order in Trump's case, but the United States citizens have an appetite to want to see the case as it unfolds, Katyal said in an interview on MSNBC late on Thursday evening. In an interview on The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle, Katyal said one of the "most important steps" Cannon could take would be to allow the trial to be televised.

"When she had hearings last year, she was scared to even have audio in the hearings. We didn't get that, we just got a cold transcript. This will be one of the most important trials the nation has ever faced in a federal courtroom," he said. "That courtroom is paid for by American dollars, it is the people's courtroom, and they should be able to see what is happening inside."

Asked if Katyal thinks Cannon will make that choice, he says he doesn't know but that he hopes she will listen to argument and reason. He said the nation has a powerful example of when televised trials have worked considering the George Floyd trial against Derek Chauvin.

"I think the nation has a very powerful example of the importance of televised trials, and how they can do it well with the George Floyd case," he said. "Folks were so worried about that televised proceeding. We, as Americans, all got to see it every day."

He added, "It worked, and it should work here again."

Watch the exchange below or click the following link.