Special Counsel Jack Smith has requested that Judge Aileen Cannon prevent former President Donald Trump from commenting on law enforcement following his claims that the FBI was planning to assassinate him during a search of Mar-a-Lago in August 2022. Trump’s campaign email to supporters alleged that FBI agents were prepared to shoot him, while he also suggested on Truth Social that the Department of Justice under President Joe Biden had authorized his assassination. Smith, who has previously indicted Trump on criminal charges, filed a motion with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida to alter the conditions of release for the former president due to his inflammatory statements.
Judge Aileen Cannon, who was appointed by Trump, is presiding over the federal case concerning Trump’s handling of classified and sensitive government documents after leaving office. Smith’s motion aims to prevent Trump from discussing federal law enforcement, citing the unacceptable risk to agents involved in the case. The filing argues that Trump’s false and misleading statements about the circumstances of the FBI’s search at Mar-a-Lago could incite threats, violence, and harassment towards law enforcement officers who were witnesses to the events. Smith rebuts Trump’s claims of an assassination plot, explaining that the FBI followed standard use of force policies during the raid, which are commonplace in executing search warrants.
The motion contends that Trump’s mischaracterization of the FBI’s actions as an attempt to kill him and others endangers law enforcement officers and jeopardizes the integrity of legal proceedings. It calls for restrictions on Trump’s future communications to prevent further endangerment of law enforcement involved in the investigation and prosecution of the case. The filing argues that prohibiting similar statements from Trump does not impede his right to legitimate speech. Comment from Trump’s office was sought by Newsweek, and the story is ongoing, with updates expected as more information emerges.
Special Counsel Jack Smith’s motion urges Judge Aileen Cannon to prevent former President Donald Trump from discussing federal law enforcement following his claims that the FBI planned to assassinate him during a search of Mar-a-Lago in August 2022. Trump’s campaign email and social media posts alleged that FBI agents were authorized to shoot him, leading to concerns about the safety of law enforcement officers involved in the case. Judge Cannon, who oversees the federal case on Trump’s handling of sensitive government documents, is being urged to restrict Trump’s communications to avoid further endangerment of agents and preserve the integrity of legal proceedings.
The motion filed by Smith argues that Trump’s statements about the FBI raid distort the circumstances and falsely suggest an assassination plot, placing law enforcement officers at risk of threats and violence. Smith clarifies that the FBI followed standard use of force policies during the search, and Trump’s mischaracterization of the event poses a danger to the officers who witnessed it. The motion seeks to modify Trump’s conditions of release to prevent future inflammatory statements that could jeopardize the safety of law enforcement personnel. Newsweek has reached out for comment from Trump’s office, and the story is still developing with updates expected.
