Former President Donald Trump is facing an expanded gag order in his upcoming hush money trial in Manhattan after a series of attacks on the judge and his family. Judge Juan Merchan expanded the order to prevent Trump from going after family members of either him or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. This decision came after Trump made comments that raised concerns about the integrity of the judicial proceedings. The judge noted that Trump’s recent attacks had created a real threat to the fair administration of justice in the case.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office requested the expansion of the gag order after Trump spread false claims about the judge’s daughter on social media. In a court filing, the district attorney described Trump’s rhetoric as dangerous and intended to intimidate witnesses and participants in the upcoming trial. Trump had previously criticized the judge on social media, accusing him of denying the former president his First Amendment rights. However, it was later revealed that the claims Trump made about the judge’s daughter were false, as the account in question was no longer under her control.
Trump had previously been subject to a gag order during his civil fraud trial in New York and was fined for violating the restrictions. The judge overseeing that case had warned Trump to refrain from further violations or face more severe penalties. Trump’s hush money trial, scheduled to begin on April 15, focuses on payments made before the 2016 presidential election to silence accusations of extramarital affairs. These payments reportedly included $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels less than a month before Election Day.
The expanded gag order now prevents Trump from disparaging witnesses, prosecutors, court staff, or jurors involved in the case. Judge Merchan determined that Trump’s recent attacks created a genuine threat to the integrity of the judicial proceedings and could potentially interfere with the fair administration of justice. The judge emphasized that admonishments and self-restraint were not sufficient to control Trump’s behavior and that explicit instructions were necessary to ensure the proper conduct of the trial.
The district attorney’s office argued that Trump’s rhetoric was intended to intimidate participants in the trial, including the judge. They warned that Trump’s actions posed a threat to the integrity of the proceedings and needed to be addressed through an expanded gag order. Despite Trump’s claims that he was being denied his First Amendment rights, the judge’s decision was based on the potential impact of his comments on the fairness of the trial.
Overall, the expanded gag order imposed on Trump in the Manhattan hush money trial aims to prevent further attacks on individuals involved in the case and protect the integrity of the judicial proceedings. The judge’s decision was prompted by Trump’s recent comments, which raised concerns about the fair administration of justice. With the trial set to begin in April, the gag order serves as a measure to ensure that participants can engage in the proceedings without fear of intimidation or interference.
