US prosecutors seek protection order after Trump's 'threat'
August 6, 2023
Prosecutors have requested that the US judge overseeing former President Donald Trump's case, where he is accused of attempting to overturn his 2020 election loss, issue a protective order concerning evidence in the case.
The request came after Trump posted what was perceived to be a threatening statement on his social media platform Truth.
A protective order would restrict the information Trump and his legal team are allowed to share with unauthorized personnel. It aims to protect the classified documents and information prosecutors must share with the defendant.
In other words, it could prohibit Trump from making such material public during the case.
What did Trump say?
Shortly after facing a judge to plead not guilty over his indictment on charges that he engaged in a conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Trump posted in all caps:
"If you go after me, I'm coming after you!"
Prosecutors suspected the post was a threat to anyone involved in the trial against him.
They told the judge they were preparing to provide Trump and his legal team with sensitive and confidential evidence.
"Such a restriction is particularly important in this case because the defendant has previously issued public statements on social media regarding witnesses, judges, attorneys, and others associated with legal matters pending against him," they said.
On Thursday, Trump appeared to defy a judge who had warned him against discussing the case with any potential witnesses.
What happens next?
The prosecutors warned that such action by Trump could have a "harmful, chilling effect on witnesses or adversely affect the fair administration of justice in this case."
A Trump spokesperson defended the post, saying it was not meant to address the case but rather Trump's political rivals, whom Trump blames for the investigations against him.
The judge on Saturday gave Trump's team until 5 p.m. on Monday to respond. The team tried to extend the deadline by three days to prepare their response but their request was quickly overturned.
The indictment is the third in four months for Trump, who is nonetheless currently considered the frontrunner in a campaign to become the 2024 Republican nominee for president.
rmt/msh (AFP, AP, Reuters)