The judge presiding over former President Donald Trump‘s upcoming New York criminal trial has expanded a partial gag order. This action comes in response to Trump’s online attacks against his own daughter.
What Happened: State Judge Juan Merchan declared on Monday that Trump is now barred from attacking his family members and those of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. This restriction goes beyond the initial gag order, which only prevented Trump from discussing witnesses, prosecutors, court staff, and their families, reported NBC News.
Merchan pointed out that Trump’s consistent attacks on the family members of judges and attorneys involved in his cases serve no valid purpose and pose a significant threat to the integrity of the judicial proceedings. He further noted that Trump’s actions could potentially discourage individuals from participating in the trial, which is scheduled to start in two weeks.
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Trump’s legal team had previously defended his comments as protected political speech. However, Bragg’s office argued that Trump’s social media attacks on Merchan’s daughter “fundamentally threatens the integrity of these proceedings and is intended to intimidate witnesses and trial participants alike.”
The filing said, “President Trump's comments concerning Your Honor's daughter are, properly understood, a criticism of the Court's prior decision not to recuse itself.” Last year, Trump requested Merchan resign from the case.
Merchan warned that any order violation would result in sanctions under the criminal contempt statutes cited by the DA. Trump’s attorneys have criticized Merchan for his comments on the case in an interview with The Associated Press last month.
Why It Matters: This development follows a series of events that have kept Trump in the news. Trump managed to post a $175 million bond in a New York civil fraud case, thereby avoiding potential asset seizure by the state. This came after Trump’s net worth took a hit of over $1 billion following his social media company’s disclosure of significant losses last year.
Trump also faced criticism for commercializing sacred items by selling $60 “God Bless the USA” Bibles. His legal team had also sought another delay for his hush-money trial, citing concerns over pretrial publicity and potential bias among Manhattan residents.
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