Manhattan prosecutors have asked a judge to clarify a gag order imposed on former President Donald Trump after he criticized the judge’s daughter in a social media post. The prosecutors want to know if the order protects family members of the court, district attorney’s office, and other individuals. They asked the court to direct Trump to stop attacking family members after he went on a rant on Truth Social and mentioned the judge’s daughter by name. Trump accused the judge of being compromised and suggested that the judge’s daughter, Loren Merchan, was biased against him and wanted to see him jailed. The prosecutors are concerned that such attacks could intimidate witnesses and prospective jurors, and they want the judge to make it clear who is protected by the gag order.
Trump’s legal team responded to the prosecutors’ request by saying that the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is misinterpreting the gag order. They argued that the court cannot direct Trump to do something that the gag order does not require. They believe that clarifying or confirming the meaning of the gag order in the way the prosecutors suggest would be an expansion of the order. The gag order, as it stands, prohibits Trump from making or directing other people to make public statements on his behalf about jurors and potential witnesses in the hush-money trial. It also prevents any statements intended to interfere with or harass the court’s staff, prosecution team, or their families.
The gag order was imposed in the hush-money trial in which Trump is accused of making payments during his 2016 presidential campaign. He pleaded not guilty last April to 34 counts of falsifying business records. The judge overseeing the trial, Juan Merchan, is now being asked to clarify the scope of the gag order and to warn Trump about his conduct. The prosecutors are concerned that Trump’s attacks on family members could create a hostile environment for witnesses and jurors. They have asked the judge to sanction Trump if he violates the gag order and to ensure that he understands who is protected by it.
Trump has been vocal in his criticism of the judge and the prosecutors in this case. He has accused them of bias and suggested that they are conspiring against him. However, the prosecutors maintain that they are simply seeking to uphold the integrity of the legal process and ensure a fair trial. The judge will now have to decide how to proceed in clarifying the gag order and addressing Trump’s conduct. The outcome of this dispute could have implications for the upcoming trial and for the broader legal implications of the case.
