After review by the appeals court, District Judge Tanya Chutkan's gag order in the federal election interference case against former President Trump will largely stand.
The order will continue to prohibit Donald Trump from making public statements about potential witnesses as well as attorneys and court personnel. However, the appeals court did alter the order so that Trump can now attack special counsel Jack Smith, but not members of his team.
"The Order is affirmed to the extent it prohibits all parties and their counsel from making or directing others to make public statements about known or reasonably foreseeable witnesses concerning their potential participation in the investigation or in this criminal proceeding," the opinion reads.
"The Order is also affirmed to the extent it prohibits all parties and their counsel from making or directing others to make public statements about -- (1) counsel in the case other than the Special Counsel, (2) members of the court's staff and counsel's staffs, or (3) the family members of any counsel or staff member -- if those statements are made with the intent to materially interfere with, or to cause others to materially interfere with, counsel's or staff's work in this criminal case, or with the knowledge that such interference is highly likely to result.”
The appeals court also signaled that they will be unlikely to delay Trump’s trial, arguing that, "Delaying the trial date until after the election, as Mr. Trump proposes, would be counterproductive, create perverse incentives, and unreasonably burden the judicial process."
Trump's trial is currently scheduled to begin on March 4, 2024.
