New York, NY – The judge overseeing the criminal hush money trial involving former President Donald Trump has extended a recent gag order to include family members of the court and family members of the Manhattan district attorney. This decision comes after Trump made comments targeting the judge’s daughter in recent days.
On Monday, the Manhattan district attorney’s office requested that the judge expand the gag order to prevent Trump from attacking family members of individuals involved in the case. Prosecutors emphasized the need to prohibit Trump from making public statements about family members of the Court, the District Attorney, and all other individuals mentioned in the order.
Last week, after Judge Juan Merchan issued a gag order restricting Trump from making statements about witnesses, jurors, prosecutors, court staff, and their family members, Trump defied the order with a series of posts on social media. The gag order did not cover District Attorney Alvin Bragg, the judge, or his family.
Trump’s attorneys are challenging any expansion of the gag order, claiming it already goes too far and limits campaign advocacy by the former president, who is the presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election. The defense team argues that the gag order does not apply to family members of the judge or the District Attorney, allowing Trump to publicly criticize individuals like Merchan’s daughter.
In response to the ongoing controversy, Trump’s lawyers have requested permission from Merchan to file a recusal motion to remove the judge from the case, citing changed circumstances and newly discovered evidence. However, Merchan had previously denied a similar recusal motion from Trump last year.
The situation continues to evolve, with both sides presenting their arguments before the court. As the trial approaches, tensions remain high, with legal challenges and personal attacks adding complexity to the already contentious proceedings.
The developments in the hush money trial highlight the ongoing legal battles facing Trump and the broader implications of his actions as a high-profile political figure. The court’s decisions in this case could have significant ramifications for the former president and set precedents for future legal proceedings involving public figures.