Fox News host Howard Kurtz corrected a spokesperson for Donald Trump on Sunday regarding the terms of a gag order in his Manhattan “hush money” case. Trump, the presumed 2024 GOP presidential nominee, is currently under a gag order that prohibits him from making public statements about prosecutors, witnesses, or jurors, along with their family members. The order was expanded to include Judge Juan Merchan, overseeing the case, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and their families. This order was issued after Trump made social media posts attacking Merchan and his daughter, Loren Merchan, for her connections to prominent Democratic politicians. Despite the order, Trump continued to publicly criticize Merchan and his daughter, indicating his willingness to go to jail for speaking the truth.
Former President Donald Trump is facing charges of falsifying business records in a hush money case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. The charges allege that Trump attempted to hide payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence regarding an alleged affair in 2006. Trump has denied the affair and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial for this case is set to begin on Monday, April 15. Kurtz had previously corrected Trump’s remarks on late-term abortions and mischaracterizations of statements made by former Democratic Virginia Governor Ralph Northam regarding such procedures.
During a Sunday appearance on Fox News, Karoline Leavitt, the national press secretary for Trump’s 2024 campaign, characterized the gag order as an attempt by Democratic political forces to silence Trump. She claimed that Democrats wanted to confine Trump to a courtroom and were violating his First Amendment rights by imposing the gag order. Kurtz corrected her statement by clarifying the actual scope of the gag order, noting that Trump could still talk about the case. Newsweek reached out to Trump’s office for comment, but no response was provided at the time.
The gag order issued by Judge Merchan restricts Trump from making public statements about the ongoing case in Manhattan, including comments about prosecutors, witnesses, jurors, and their families. Trump has continued to criticize and attack Merchan and his daughter despite the order, expressing his willingness to go to jail for speaking what he perceives as the truth. The case involves allegations of falsifying business records related to hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels to keep her from speaking out about an alleged affair with Trump in 2006. The trial for this case is scheduled to begin on April 15.
Kurtz also made a correction during a previous on-air segment regarding Trump’s comments on late-term abortions. Trump had misrepresented statements made by former Democratic Virginia Governor Ralph Northam regarding the issue. Kurtz clarified Northam’s original comments about cases of severe deformity or non-viable fetuses and the subsequent clarification made by the governor’s spokesperson. He pointed out that fewer than 1 percent of all abortions take place at or after seven months of pregnancy, challenging Trump’s assertions about late-term abortion policies supported by Democrats.
In sum, the ongoing legal battles and controversies surrounding former President Donald Trump’s Manhattan hush money case have generated significant media attention and public scrutiny. Trump’s public statements and actions regarding the case, despite a gag order in place, have sparked debate and correction from media figures like Howard Kurtz. The trial for the case is set to begin soon, and the outcome could have far-reaching implications for both Trump and the broader political landscape as the 2024 presidential election approaches.
