New York, United States

Donald Trump, the first former US president to be convicted in a criminal trial, has requested a judge to remove a gag order placed on him during his recent hush money trial.

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As per a filing released Tuesday (June 4), Trump has asked Judge Juan Merchan — who imposed the gag order — to terminate it.

Trump's gag order

This order limits Trump's ability to publicly comment on the trial's jurors, witnesses, prosecutors and court staff. It was later extended to prevent comments about his own family and the prosecutor's family.

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On multiple occasions during the trial, Trump was found to be guilty of breaking the gag order. He was fined $10,000 by the New York court for not adhering to the gag order. He was also threatened with jail time for openly flouting Judge Merchan's order.

Also read | 'Breaking point': Trump warns of potential Jan 6 like unrest if he faces jail time

Before the gag order, Trump would routinely attack likely witnesses in the case and the prosecutors in posts on his social media platform Truth Social.

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The trial is over after all

Now, in a letter, Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche has asked Judge Merchan to "terminate the gag order restricting president Trump's extrajudicial statements."

In the letter, Blanche, as per AFP, argues that the trial's end negates the need for continued restrictions on Trump's speech, especially as he is a prominent candidate in the 2024 presidential election.

"Now that the trial is concluded, the concerns articulated by the government and the court do not justify continued restrictions on the First Amendment rights of president Trump -- who remains the leading candidate in the 2024 presidential election," said Blanche.

Also read | Republican-led US House votes to sanction ICC, defends Israel against war crime charges

The lawyer further highlighted Trump's Democrat rival President Joe Biden's recent comments as a reason to lift the gag order.

On Monday, Biden blasted Trump, referring to the Republican as a "convicted felon" seeking the White House in November, and said that "the campaign entered uncharted territory."

(With inputs from agencies)