Former President Donald Trump has been granted partial relief from a gag order in his hush-money case in New York, allowing him to make public comments about witnesses and jurors in the trial. Justice Juan Merchan ruled on Tuesday that Trump can now speak generally about jurors, but is still prohibited from discussing court staff, prosecutors, and their families.
The identities of the jurors, who have been kept secret due to the high-profile nature of the trial, will remain protected, Justice Merchan stated. Trump’s legal team had requested the full gag order be lifted after he was found guilty of falsifying business records in May, related to a hush-money payment made to an adult-film star before the 2016 election.
Despite objections from prosecutors, Justice Merchan decided to allow Trump to comment on witnesses, citing consistency in the courts. Trump had previously violated the gag order by attacking the judge’s daughter on social media, resulting in fines and a threat of jail time.
In response to the ruling, Trump’s spokesperson criticized Justice Merchan’s decision as “another unlawful decision by a highly conflicted judge.” While Trump has frequently spoken out against the gag order, he will now have limited freedom to discuss certain aspects of the case publicly.
