The Manhattan district attorney's office has requested the judge overseeing Donald Trump's criminal trial to broaden the existing gag order. This move aims to prevent the former president from making derogatory remarks about family members of individuals involved in the case.
In a motion filed on Monday, prosecutors urged Judge Juan Merchan to explicitly prohibit Trump from publicly discussing the family members of the Court, the District Attorney, and other relevant parties mentioned in the Order.
Last week, following an initial gag order preventing Trump from commenting on specific individuals, Trump circumvented the restrictions by targeting the judge's family members on social media. Despite the gag order, Trump made disparaging remarks about Judge Merchan and even mentioned the judge's daughter, who was incorrectly linked to certain social media posts.
Trump has argued that his statements are protected under the First Amendment as a form of self-defense and political speech. However, prosecutors have refuted this claim, asserting that Trump's recent attacks are baseless and intended to undermine the integrity of the trial.
Trump's legal team has opposed any expansion of the gag order, contending that it already infringes on his right to campaign advocacy. They have indicated a potential appeal against the order issued by Judge Merchan.
In response, Trump's attorneys have requested permission to file a recusal motion to have the judge removed from the case, citing alleged bias and newly discovered evidence. However, Judge Merchan had previously denied a similar recusal motion from Trump last year.
As the trial approaches, tensions between Trump and the judicial system continue to escalate, raising concerns about the impact of his public statements on the legal proceedings.
