Judge grants special counsel move to pause DC case against Trump

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan on Friday granted special counsel Jack Smith's motion to vacate deadlines in his D.C. election case against President-elect Donald Trump.

Chutkan's order came the same day that Smith requested the motion, MSNBC reported.

The Department of Justice "respectfully requests that the Court vacate the remaining deadlines in the pretrial schedule to afford the Government time to assess this unprecedented circumstance," the filing read.

DOJ policy bars prosecution of sitting president and it remains unclear whether the charges Smith has filed fall under the scope of presidential immunity in light of a recent Supreme Court decision on the matter.

Smith filed a revised indictment in the wake of the ruling and subsequently released a filing outlining his argument that Trump should not enjoy immunity from prosecution.

Trump has called the filing "falsehood ridden" and declared he would swiftly fire Smith upon his return to office.