WASHINGTON — Particular counsel Jack Smith on Friday requested a federal choose to bar former President Donald Trump from publicly discussing the testimony and credibility of potential witnesses or the proof in his federal election interference trial in D.C.

The request got here within the type of a movement that laid out lots of the 2024 Republican presidential front-runner’s most aggressive social media posts in current months. They included posts the place Trump took goal at doubtless witnesses, together with former Vice President Mike Pence, in addition to the choose presiding over the case and the U.S. attorneys prosecuting him.

“The defendant is aware of that when he publicly assaults people and establishments, he evokes others to perpetrate threats and harassment towards his targets,” prosecutors wrote.

Since he was indicted, they wrote, Trump has “unfold disparaging and inflammatory public posts on Fact Social on a near-daily foundation concerning the residents of the District of Columbia, the Court docket, prosecutors, and potential witnesses.”

The one answer, the particular counsel argued, was for U.S. District Decide Tanya Chutkan to subject an order holding Trump to the identical requirements to which his attorneys had been being held.

Beneath these requirements, Trump could be prohibited from making public statements about “‘the identification, testimony, or credibility of potential witnesses’ and the ‘deserves of the case or the proof within the case.'”

Smith argued that this is able to quantity to a “slender, well-defined restriction.” But when Trump’s previous statements are any indication, such a ruling might successfully render a variety of statements Trump may make sooner or later concerning the case in violation of the order, and will depart him uncovered to extra fees.

By the identical token, abiding by such an order, if the choose had been to subject it, might considerably alter what Trump says on his social media platform, Fact Social, and at marketing campaign rallies, the place he regularly disparages Smith, Chutkan and sure witnesses.

Trump’s trial is scheduled to start March 4, 2024, sooner or later earlier than the Tremendous Tuesday major contests, which might successfully hand him the Republican nomination, if present polling developments maintain.

Trump’s presidential marketing campaign was fast to answer the movement, accusing prosecutors of “corruptly and cynically persevering with to try to deprive President Trump of his First Modification rights.”

“That is nothing greater than blatant election interference as a result of President Trump is by far the main candidate on this race,” marketing campaign spokesman Steve Cheung mentioned in an announcement.

The 4 rely indictment filed on Aug. 1 charged Trump, and solely Trump, with conspiring to defraud america and to hinder an official continuing, really obstructing an official continuing, and eventually with violating a legislation that criminalizes conspiring to deprive others of constitutionally protected rights. In looking for to overturn his election loss in 2020, prosecutors argued, Trump was depriving voters of the precise to solid votes that may be pretty counted.

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