Trump criticizes DOJ protective order, claims it infringes on his right to ‘political speech’.
Former President Donald Trump Criticizes Protective Order, Asserts Right to Political Speech
Former President Donald Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with a protective order issued by the Justice Department late Friday night, accusing prosecutors of unfairly limiting his right to engage in “political speech.”
The DOJ filed a court document at approximately 10 p.m. on Friday, drawing attention to a message Trump shared on his Truth Social account. Prosecutors raised concerns that the former president might improperly disclose details about his ongoing criminal proceedings. Trump vehemently opposed these efforts, asserting that his social media post falls within his First Amendment rights to express his opinions online.
“The Truth post cited is the epitome of political speech, and it was a response to the RINO, China-loving, dishonest special interest groups and Super PACs, such as those funded by the Koch brothers and the Club for No Growth,” stated a spokesperson for Trump.
The court filing was prompted by a post from Trump that warned, “If you go after me, I’m coming after you!” This message raised concerns among prosecutors that Trump might publicly disclose evidence from special counsel Jack Smith’s criminal case, which details the former president’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
In their filing, prosecutors urged U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan to issue an order preventing any findings related to the case from being made public.
“Such a restriction is particularly crucial in this case because the defendant has previously made public statements on social media regarding witnesses, judges, attorneys, and others involved in legal matters against him,” wrote Senior Assistant Special Counsels Molly Gaston and Thomas Windom in the filing. “Furthermore, in recent days, the defendant has made multiple posts—either explicitly or implicitly—including the following, which the defendant posted just hours ago.”
The filing does not explicitly request a gag order against Trump, which would prohibit him from discussing the case outside the courtroom or with the media. However, prosecutors noted that they are planning to share a “significant” amount of evidence with Trump’s legal team, and they aim to keep this evidence out of the public eye while the criminal proceedings unfold.
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This request comes just one day after Trump made a trip to Washington, D.C., where he was formally charged with four federal offenses, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Aug. 28 for a hearing, during which his trial date will be determined.
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