The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has rejected former President Donald Trump’s request to lift the partial gag order in his case related to the 2020 election subversion trial. Trump’s legal team had sought a full court review after a three-judge panel upheld the gag order from the trial court, limiting Trump’s ability to criticize the court’s witnesses and proceedings.
In a recent ruling, the full 11-member bench of the appeals court, which includes three judges appointed by Trump himself, opted against reconsidering the earlier decision upholding the gag order. The rejection comes after Special Prosecutor Jack Smith argued that the restrictions were necessary to prevent attempts by Trump to intimidate the court, citing threats to witnesses, attorneys, and court personnel driven by Trump’s rhetoric.
The gag order in the DC case is not the only one imposed on Trump. He also faces a partial gag order in his New York civil fraud trial, where he has repeatedly attacked the judge and law clerk, leading to hundreds of violent threats. Despite the rejection by the appeals court, Trump still has the option to appeal further to the U.S. Supreme Court if he chooses to do so.
