In his campaign for the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump will be on trial starting March 4, 2024. Until then, his speech may be regulated by the justice system.
Will Donald Trump have to temper his statements? The special prosecutor pursuing the former president has asked a judge to limit his freedom of speech before his federal trial for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.
According to prosecutor Jack Smith, Donald Trump’s repeated criticism of the Department of Justice, Washington residents, and the judge handling the case, Tanya Chutkan, could disrupt the course of justice.
“So, I’m running for president (…) and I’m not allowed to speak? They leak, lie, prosecute, and don’t want me to speak?” Donald Trump quickly responded on his Truth Social platform.
Avoid influencing witnesses The statements of the former president “could have a significant impact on the population from which the trial jury will be selected and, at the same time, influence the statements of witnesses,” according to the prosecution. Anyone reading or hearing Donald Trump’s statements “could reasonably fear being the next target of the defendant’s attacks,” Jack Smith added in a court document.
Donald Trump’s trial in this case is set to begin on March 4, the day before “Super Tuesday,” one of the most important Republican primary events for which he is the leading candidate. Before then, Jack Smith wants the billionaire Republican to be prohibited from making any derogatory or intimidating statements about anyone mentioned in the case or who could be, and to make absolutely no statements about future witnesses.
The threatened judge Donald Trump has also accused Judge Tanya Chutkan of “hating” him and referred to the prosecutor’s office as a “gang of thugs.” However, according to the same team, these statements have turned into very real threats, and “it is clear that these threats are prompted by the defendant’s constantly repeated statements.”
In mid-August, a woman was arrested in Texas for making death threats against Tanya Chutkan, who still needs to respond to Jack Smith’s request to limit Donald Trump’s statements before his trial.
