On Thursday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) requested a judge to temporarily halt the deposition of former President Donald Trump in a lawsuit filed by ex-FBI agent Peter Strzok, who is contesting his termination in 2018.
According to court documents, the deposition is currently scheduled for May 24.
In its filing, the DOJ argued that FBI Director Christopher Wray should be deposed before Trump, stating that Wray’s testimony might render Trump’s deposition unnecessary.
The government’s request reads, “Director Wray’s testimony could obviate the need for any deposition of former President Trump.”
The DOJ further requested “that the court order Mr. Wray’s deposition to be conducted first and that the former President’s deposition not proceed until the court has access to the transcript of Director Wray’s deposition.”
In February, a federal judge ruled that both Trump and Wray could be deposed for a duration of two hours each as part of the ongoing lawsuit.
Strzok, formerly a high-ranking FBI counterintelligence official, was fired by the FBI in 2018 following the disclosure of anti-Trump messages he had exchanged with Lisa Page, a top lawyer at the bureau. Strzok filed a lawsuit against the DOJ, alleging improper termination.
The government has previously contended that Strzok failed to demonstrate Trump’s involvement in his dismissal. Despite Trump’s repeated public demands for Strzok’s firing, the DOJ has argued that the decision to terminate him was made by the FBI’s then-deputy director, David Bowdich.
The DOJ’s recent filing pertains to the ongoing case involving former FBI agent Peter Strzok and former FBI attorney Lisa Page. In 2018, Strzok was terminated from his position, while Page chose to resign, following the revelation of text messages containing critical remarks about Trump exchanged between the two individuals.
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