Judge Lifts Gag Order On Trump In Election Subversion Case

The federal judge overseeing the 2020 election interference case involving Donald Trump in Washington has agreed to temporarily lift her narrow gag order.

The gag order issued by Chutkan prohibited Trump from making public statements that target prosecutors, court staff, and potential witnesses. I Photo: Thomas Hawk Flickr

This ruling provides Trump's lawyers with time to demonstrate why the former president's comments should not be restricted as the case proceeds to trial, as reported by Alana Durkin Richer for the Associated Press (AP).

US District Judge Tanya Chutkan stated that the gag order would remain on hold, at least temporarily, while she assesses Trump's request to speak freely about the case as he challenges the restrictions in higher courts.

The gag order, which Chutkan issued on Monday, prohibited him from making public statements that target prosecutors, court staff, and potential witnesses.

It represents the most significant restriction placed on Trump's inflammatory rhetoric, which has become a central feature of his campaign filled with grievances aimed at returning to the White House.

This marks the second gag order imposed on Trump in the last month. The judge overseeing Trump's civil fraud trial in New York earlier this month issued a more limited gag order that banned attacks against court personnel following a social media post from Trump that criticized the judge's principal clerk.

Trump was recently fined $5,000 after his post remained on his campaign website for weeks despite the judge's order to delete it.

Judge Arthur Engoron refrained from holding Trump in contempt for now but retained the option to do so, and potentially even place the former president in jail if he again violates the limited gag order.

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