A federal judge limited the scope of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) proposed gag order for former President Donald Trump after raising concerns during a hearing Monday.
United States District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan, an Obama appointee, granted the requested order in part, restricting statements about Special Counsel Jack Smith, his staff and court personnel while permitting Trump to make statements about the Biden administration and DOJ, according to reports. Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office requested an order last month that would restrict Trump from making “disparaging and inflammatory, or intimidating” statements about any “party, witness, attorney, court personnel, or potential jurors.”
Chutkan expressed reservations about the broadness of the DOJ’s proposed order Monday. (
At one point during the hearing, Trump attorney John Lauro said George Orwell “would be having a field day” over prosecutors’ arguments. Chutkan replied he “definitely” would, per reports.
Yet Chutkan rejected the defense’s argument that Trump had entirely unrestricted First Amendment rights to make statements about any party in the case, noting he is still facing criminal charges.
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