Donald Trump Calls Jack Smith A 'Deranged' Prosecutor, Strikes Back At Gag Order Proposal: 'They Want To Silence Me'

Donald Trump denounced special counsel Jack Smith as a "deranged" prosecutor and criticized a proposed gag order in his D.C. election case.

Former President Donald Trump denounced special counsel Jack Smith as a “deranged” prosecutor and criticized a proposed gag order in his D.C. election case, aimed at limiting what he can publicly state about the proceedings 

What Happened: "He's a deranged person," Trump said of Smith. The former president also accused Smith of trying to infringe on his First Amendment rights, CNBC reported.

Trump, the leading Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential nomination, made his remarks during a speech at a conservative Christian women’s organization event in Washington, D.C. His comments came hours after Smith’s request to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan for the gag order.

"They want to silence me because I will never let them silence you," Trump told the D.C. crowd.

See Also: Trump’s Niece Calls Out Justice Alito’s ‘Originalist’ Rhetoric Over Alleged Ethics Violations: ‘Pretends

The former president is facing four criminal counts in the D.C. case, linked to alleged conspiracies to overturn his defeat to President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.

Why It Matters: Smith asked Judge Chutkan to limit what Trump can publicly say about the 2020 election case to prevent him from influencing the opinions of others unfairly. They want this limitation to be specific and only cover discussions about what witnesses in the case are saying and about the people involved in the court process, including the jurors.

Smith’s request was fueled by concerns that Trump’s repeated public criticisms could compromise the trial’s integrity and bias the jury. The proposed restrictions would apply to statements regarding the identity, testimony, or credibility of potential witnesses, and any disparaging, inflammatory, or intimidating remarks about any party, witness, attorney, court personnel, or potential jurors.

The court has yet to decide on the motion. If approved, it could limit Trump’s ability to publicly criticize the special counsel.

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