Trump likely to face gag order after he targeted prosecutors, witnesses, and judges online, experts say
Published Mon, Aug 7 20236:46 PM EDTUpdated Tue, Aug 8 20239:57 AM EDT
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Kevin Breuninger
Legal experts predict a gag order is likely coming against former President Donald Trump.
Trump has taken to social media to attack the prosecutors, potential witnesses and even the judge after his most recent arraignment on charges of election interference in 2020.
“You don’t usually see somebody so blatantly trying to basically break the rules of trial,” a former New York prosecutor told CNBC.
Special counsel Jack Smith has already flagged the ex-president’s social media tirades as a cause for concern as he seeks a protective order in the election case.
As Donald Trump cranks up his attacks on a growing list of targets linked to his numerous legal battles, experts predict the former president could soon be strapped with a court-ordered muzzle.
But it’s an open question, they say, whether a gag order could be enforced against Trump, now a top White House contender with a reflexive social media habit and a campaign message built around his self-proclaimed political persecution.
“I think a gag order is likely, I’m just not sure if it will be enforced,” former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told CNBC.
“A lot of the judges that I’ve seen cover these types of political cases, they’ve been all bark, no bite,” he said.
A lawyer for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/07/trump-gag-order-is-likely-given-his-online-attacks-pence-jack-smith-legal-experts-say.html