By A federal appeals court in Washington has upheld a gag order on former President Donald Trump regarding his alleged interference in the 2020 election. However, the court has narrowed the restrictions on his speech.
The three-judge panel ruled that Trump is now allowed to make disparaging comments about special counsel Jack Smith. Nevertheless, the court has upheld the ban on public statements about known or foreseeable witnesses and their potential involvement in the case.
Trump, who views the gag order as an infringement on his political speech, may choose to appeal the ruling to either the full court or the Supreme Court.
The gag order was imposed by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in October, preventing Trump from making public statements targeting Smith, other prosecutors, court staff, and potential witnesses. While considering Trump’s challenge, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit temporarily lifted the gag order.
Prosecutors argue that these restrictions are necessary to protect the case’s integrity and shield potential witnesses and other individuals involved from harassment and threats stemming from Trump’s inflammatory social media posts.
The gag order has had a tumultuous journey through the courts since it was proposed by the prosecutors, who cited Trump’s repeated disparagement of the special counsel, the presiding judge, and likely witnesses.
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