Federal Judge Reinstates Gag Order on Trump's Public Speech in Election Interference Case

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has reinstated a narrow gag order that limits what former President Donald Trump can say publicly about the special counsel's 2020 election interference case against him. District Judge Tanya Chutkan rejected Trump's request to put a hold on the restriction as he pursues an appeal in higher courts. The order bars Trump from speaking about prosecutors, court staff, and potential witnesses, but allows him to criticize the charges against him, the Justice Department, and the Biden administration. Trump called the ruling "not constitutional" in a social media post. Prosecutors argued that Trump's language risked prejudicing jurors and threatening witnesses. Chutkan had previously issued a partial gag order which was later stayed until the appeal is litigated. The gag order now sits before the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals for consideration.