Donald Trump Claps Back At Judge With Eight-Word Promise
Former President Donald Trump is clapping back at a judge who issued a limited gag order against the business titan.
Tristan Green
Former President Donald Trump is clapping back at a judge who issued a limited gag order against the business titan. Trump took to Truth Social to issue an eight-word threat and promise amid cascading legal woes. The former President is facing an avalanche of criminal trials, and his favorite defense is communicating directly with the public. But with a gag order in place, the former POTUS seems to be feeling constrained and walled in. And a cornered Donald Trump always plans to fight.
Trump Has Been Going After Justice Officials For Years
Donald Trump is Arraigned at the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse – MEGA
Donald Trump‘s penchant for threatening elected officials and justice system workers goes back years. Long before he was criminally indicted for dozens of charges surrounding issues of classified documents and election interference. Trump has always been in and out of courtrooms; previously, in his role as the head of the Trump Organization. Trump won most of those cases, which were civil lawsuits for various reasons.
But now, the stakes are higher. And so are Trump’s efforts to demoralize and delegitimize his “enemies,” as he sees them. Special Counsel Jack Smith, for instance, was called “deranged” and a “psycho” by Trump. He prefers to call judges and investigators “thugs,” “criminals,” and “Trump-haters.” And he has accused them of engaging in a “political witch hunt.”
While much of what Trump says online about his “enemies” amounts to sour grapes and complaining, some of it has become dangerous. Multiple officials have been forced to hire security to avoid the wrath of Trump followers, incited by their leader’s words. And several election workers in Georgia have been living in fear ever since they caught the sharp side of Trump’s tongue online. His incitement of violence and words of vague threats are ratcheting up the stakes for everyone involved, and judges overseeing Trump’s trials are taking note.
And, as it turns out, Trump can’t freely intimidate witnesses, prosecutors or court personnel.
Trump’s Gag Order Chafes
BREAKING: Federal Judge Tanya Chutkan has just issued a gag order on former President Donald Trump.
Do you agree with the order?
She said: “This is not about whether I like the language Mr. Trump uses… This is about language that presents a danger to the administration of… pic.twitter.com/ySpFSXML9V
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) October 16, 2023
That’s why Judge Tanya Chutkan recently took steps to limit what Donald Trump could say about those working on his trials. Chutkan is overseeing the trial that has alleged Trump attempted to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The randomly selected Jamaican-born judge has shown herself to be a no-nonsense arbiter who seems troubled by Trump’s tendency to attack those working in the legal system.
In the ruling, Chutkan explained, “This is not about whether I like the language Mr. Trump uses. This is about language that presents a danger to the administration of justice.” She added, “His presidential candidacy does not give him carte blanche to vilify public servants who are simply doing their jobs.” During Monday’s hearing where she issued the order, Chutkan said, “Mr. Trump is a criminal defendant. He is facing four felony charges. He is under the supervision of the criminal justice system and he must follow his conditions of release.” She then turned to Trump’s attorney, John Lauro, and asked, “He does not have the right to say and do exactly what he pleases. Do you agree with that?” Lauro, who is arguing that the gag order violates Trump’s rights, conceded, “100%.”
Donald Trump Claps Back At Judge With Eight-Word Threat
Donald Trump, Truth Social
When issuing the order, Chutkan referred to Trump’s social media rants. She said, “When you start to use a word like ‘thug’ to describe a prosecutor doing their job, that wouldn’t be allowed by any other criminal defendant. Just because the defendant is running a political campaign does not allow him to do whatever he wants.” She added, “If the message Mr. Trump wants to express is ‘my prosecution is politically motivated,’” he can do so without using “highly charged language.”
Trump immediately took to Truth Social with an eight-word response: “WILL APPEAL THE GAG ORDER RULING. WITCH HUNT!”
He then added, “A TERRIBLE THING HAPPENED TO DEMOCRACY TODAY – GAG ORDER!”
Trump’s desire to avoid sanctions is warring with his desire to say whatever he wants. And for now, the former seems to be winning. Since the gag order was issued, Trump has dialed back some of his rhetoric. While he has continued to attack judges and elected officials, the language has been less inflammatory. It remains to be seen whether or not his newly found restraint lasts.