Former President Donald Trump criticized a gag order issued against him by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in connection with the federal 2020 election interference trial.
What Happened: Trump, during a campaign rally in Iowa, expressed his discontent, arguing to his supporters that the order was “totally unconstitutional.”
“They're getting beaten very badly by me in the polls. They think the only way they can catch me is to stop me from speaking. They want to take away my voice and a judge gave a gag order today. Did you hear that? On speech, which I believe is totally unconstitutional what she did. A judge gave a gag order, a judge doesn't like me too much,” he said.
Trump alleged the judge harbored a personal bias against him, stating, “Her whole life is not liking me, but she gave a gag order.”
“You know what a gag order is? You can't speak badly about your opponent. But this is weaponry all being done because Joe Biden is losing the election and losing very, very badly to all of us in the polls. He's losing badly,” he added.
The former president also linked the gag order to the alleged struggles of current President Joe Biden, suggesting it was a tactical move due to Biden’s waning popularity.
Why It Matters: On Monday, Judge Chutkan acceded to a Justice Department request to limit Trump’s ability to publicly criticize prosecutors, witnesses, and court staff involved in the trial and to restrict his use of social media and public events to comment on the trial.
The judge clarified her stance in court, stating, “Mr. Trump is facing criminal charges. He does not get to respond to every criticism of him if his response would affect potential witnesses. That’s the bottom line here.”
The gag order is not the first Trump has faced. Earlier this month, he was issued a partial gag order in a civil fraud trial brought against him by the state of New York. In September, a protective order was issued against him in a major lawsuit aimed at blocking his potential 2024 presidential ballot in Colorado.
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