In order to speak openly about the witnesses in the trial, the former president Trump has asked the judge overseeing his hush money payments case to lift a gag order.
Trump stated that the judge was violating his constitutional rights and that he was unable to reply to “lies” that the media had published about him while he was on trial.
“I am not allowed to speak,” Trump said in brief remarks before he entered the Manhattan courthouse on Friday.
“The gag order has to come off. People are allowed to speak about me, and I have a gag order just to show you how much more unfair it is. And the conflict has to end with the judge. The judge has a conflict. The worst I’ve ever seen,” Trump said.
According to Fox News, Judge Juan Merchan placed a gag order on Trump last month, citing his “prior extrajudicial statements” as evidence of “a sufficient risk to the administration of justice.”
Trump is prohibited by Merchan’s injunction from making public statements regarding witnesses and their potential involvement in the case, nor may he give instructions to anyone to do so.
Additionally, the judge ruled that Trump was not permitted to publicly criticize any selected or potential juror or to compel others to do so.
