Donald Trump’s repeated criticism of the Justice Department, the people of Washington and the judge in charge of the case, Tanya Chutkan, could disrupt the course of justice, according to Jack Smith, the American special prosecutor who is prosecuting the former President of the United States. He asked a judge on Friday to limit the former president’s freedom of speech before his federal trial for his attempts to reverse the outcome of the 2020 election.
According to him, the former president’s remarks “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. And he added that anyone reading or listening to Donald Trump’s statements “could reasonably be afraid of being the next target of the accused’s attacks.”
That’s why Jack Smith wants the Republican billionaire to be barred from making any derogatory or intimidating statements about anyone named or potentially named in the case and to make absolutely no statements about future witnesses. .
“I’m campaigning to be president and I’m not allowed to speak? »
Obviously, Donald Trump was quick to react and attack justice. “So I’m campaigning to be president (…) and I’m not allowed to speak? They’re leaking information, lying, suing, and don’t want me to talk? “, he launched on his Truth Social platform.
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He also accused Judge Tanya Chutkan of “hating” him and called the prosecutor’s office a “team of thugs.” However, according to this same team, these comments turned into very real threats, and “it is clear that these threats are provoked by the words, constantly repeated, of the accused”.
In mid-August, a woman was arrested in Texas for making death threats against Tanya Chutkan.
Donald Trump’s trial in this case concerning the 2020 presidential elections is scheduled to begin on March 4, the day before “Super Tuesday”, one of the most important deadlines Republican primaries for which it is the big favorite. Under these conditions, even without being a soothsayer, it is unlikely that Trump will remain silent until then.