In the 2020 election tampering case, Donald Trump is subject to a gag order

 In the 2020 election tampering case, Donald Trump is subject to a gag order

Prior to his trial on accusations of election tampering, a federal judge has prohibited Donald Trump from criticizing the prosecution, the court, and any witnesses.

The former president recently called the prosecution "a team of thugs" and referred to one of the witnesses as "a gutless pig" in statements that followed.

A limited gag order against Mr. Trump, according to Judge Tanya Chutkan, was required to stop "a pre-trial smear campaign".

A Trump spokeswoman called the decision "another partisan knife" and criticized it.

The presumptive Republican nominee for president in 2024 was accused earlier this year over his alleged attempts to reverse his loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 election.

His four charges included conspiring to defraud the US, conspiring to impede an official proceeding, obstructing an official proceeding, and conspiring to violate people' rights.

The investigation's special counsel, Jack Smith, asked for a gag order on the grounds that Mr. Trump's remarks would "prejudice" anyone involved, such as prosecutors, jurors, and court personnel.

Additionally, his staff claimed that tarnishing possible witnesses would "chill" the case.

Government attorney Molly Gaston said in court on Monday that the defendant could not be allowed to deliberately litigate this case in the court of public opinion.

Judge Chutkan was thus faced with the challenging task of reconciling the necessity to safeguard the legal process with the right of a political candidate to free expression.

She repeatedly emphasized to Mr. Trump's lawyers over the course of more than two hours that he "does not have the right to say and do exactly what he pleases" as a criminal defendant.

She pointed out that Mr. Trump had called Mr. Smith "deranged," her "a biased Trump-hating judge," and "a radical Obama hack" in reference to her.

She continued by saying that his propensity to criticize others, such as the special counsel's wife and a court employee in his New York civil fraud case, "deeply disturbed" her.

Because of his criticism of the New York judge's top clerk in a post that contained her name, photo, and social media, Mr. Trump is subject to a partial gag order in that case.

Judge Chutkan stated on Monday, "This is not about whether I agree with the words Mr. Trump employs. "This is about language that presents a danger to the administration of justice."

The former president's attorney, John Lauro, justified his "colorful language" by describing it as typical of the "rough and tumble" of politics.

He said that Mr. Trump was running for office and "entitled to speak truth to oppression" because of this.

However, Judge Chutkan rebuked him, asking, "Because he is running for president, he gets to make threats?"

She referred to her Monday decision as "narrowly tailored" and described it as going only as far as the special counsel requested while yet doing enough to stop a "smear campaign".

Mr. Trump is still free to criticize President Biden, his justice department, and Washington, D.C., where the case is being heard, despite the temporary injunction.

However, it forbids remarks regarding the special counsel, his team, court personnel, or possible witnesses with the exception of Mike Pence, Mr. Trump's vice president and opponent in the 2024 election.

Judge Chutkan did not specify how she would carry out her limited order, but she did state that if the limitations were broken, she would consider "as may be necessary" consequences.

Mr. Lauro had already suggested, "One simple solution: Let's have this trial shortly after the election and solve the problem."

However, the court maintained that the trial "will not yield to the 2024 election cycle".

The decision was denounced as "an absolute abomination" as well as "another partisan knife stuck in the heart of American Democracy by Crooked Joe Biden, who obtained the right to muzzle his political opponent," according to a statement from a Mr. Trump spokeswoman.

The trial starts on March 4, which also happens to be Super Tuesday, a crucial day for the Republican presidential primary election.

In addition to running for president once more, Mr. Trump will face three further criminal trials and 91 felony charges in total next year.