11 months ago
48
Last Friday, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan temporarily lifted a previously imposed gag order against Donald Trump while she considers a claim from Trump’s attorneys that the order is too restrictive. That order restricted Trump from publicly attacking prosecutors, court staff, and potential witnesses. With the lifting of that order, Trump hurried to fire shots at all three.
He’s filled the days since with attacks on judges, throwing racist terms at prosecutors, going after special counsel Jack Smith, and going after a potential witness who claims to have knowledge of Trump spreading classified information. Trump seems to have avoided attacking Chutkan directly—though he unloaded on her back in August—but that’s about his only omission in his recent spree of speeches and social media missives. As usual, Trump is skating the thin edge of legality while maximizing hate.
Trump’s threats to prosecutors, leaning on witnesses, and attacks on judges are definitely not things that will win him any favors in court. Trump may be making some calculation that his statements could help shape attitudes in future jury pools, but he’s also facing cases like that in New York, where Judge Arthur Engoron will be ruling on his penalty directly.
So why is Trump doing it? Because he can. And because it generates money.
