Judge Chutkan Reinstates Trump Gag Order

In a surprising late Sunday opinion, Judge Chutkan decided to reinstate the gag order placed on Donald Trump on October 16th. Trump immediately appealed the gag order and Judge Chutkan placed a stay on it (meaning it was paused and not enforceable) just a few days later.

Well, clearly things have changed. This probably has to do with the incredibly detailed 32-page filing by Jack Smith's office opposing the motion to stay. In it, they portray Trump as an active danger who must be restricted by the court to protect the integrity of the trial AND to protect the physical safety of government witnesses.

The brief states that “the defendant has returned to the very sort of targeting that the Order prohibits, including attempting to intimidate and influence foreseeable witnesses, and commenting on the substance of their testimony,"

Later in the filing the prosecutors state: “[Trump] well knows that, by publicly targeting perceived adversaries with inflammatory language, he can maintain a plausible deniability while ensuring the desired results...The defendant knows the effect of his targeting and seeks to use it to his strategic advantage while simultaneously disclaiming any responsibility for the very acts he causes.”

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