CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Spars With Trump Lawyer Hours After New Indictment: ‘It Matters if There Was Actually Fraud’

CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins and John Lauro, former President Donald Trump’s attorney, on Tuesday sparred in an interview over the former president’s third indictment that was announced earlier in the day.

During the exchange, Lauro repeatedly said that Trump's attempts to hold onto power following the 2020 election were protected by the First Amendment right to free speech.

Lauro said the indictment, which centers on Trump’s role leading up to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, is an “attack on free speech” and “political advocacy,” adding that he feels the charges are an effort by President Joe Biden's administration to censor the former president.

“He had every right — in fact, a responsibility — to raise those issues,” Lauro said of Trump's election fraud claims. “And now his advocacy is being criminalized.”

"It matters if there was actually fraud," Collins responded to Lauro.

Collins clarified that special counsel Jack Smith notes Trump’s right to free speech in the indictment, which charges the president with pursuing “unlawful means of discounting legitimate votes” and “subverting election results.”

“Let me stop you there, because if he’s saying that there was fraud, the First Amendment doesn’t allow the president of the United States to go and claim there was fraud when he was told there was not fraud and then try to subvert the election by overturning legitimate electors. I mean, it says it right here in the actual indictment.” Collins said. 

Lauro, however, insisted the First Amendment protects “all speech.” 

Trump has been summoned to appear in a D.C. court on Thursday afternoon to face the counts, though Lauro did not clarify whether the former president will appear in-person or online.

The 45-page indictment details four counts, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.