
On Tuesday (Mar 26), the New York judge overseeing Donald Trump's trial regarding purported hush money payments to a porn star imposed a partial gag order on the former president. Judge Juan Merchan instructed Trump to refrain from publicly criticising potential witnesses, prosecutors, court personnel, their relatives, or potential jurors.
This action was taken shortly after Trump launched a barrage of criticism at the judge and his daughter through posts on Truth Social.
Trump described Merchan as a "true and certified Trump hater who suffers from a very serious case of Trump Derangement Syndrome."
"In other words, he hates me," Trump said. "Judge Merchan should recuse himself, he cannot give me a fair trial."
The ex-Republican president also mentioned that Merchan's daughter holds a senior position at a highly liberal Democratic firm.
Merchan is the third judge managing a case involving Trump to implement a partial gag order. Judge Arthur Engoron, who managed a business fraud case in New York that led to a $454 million penalty for Trump, also enforced a partial gag order. Similarly, District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington, overseeing the federal case against Trump concerning charges of attempting to overturn the 2020 election results, issued a similar order.
In his ruling, Judge Merchan pointed out Trump's track record of issuing public statements characterised as "threatening, inflammatory, denigrating."
The judge said that Trump's previous extrajudicial remarks posed a tangible risk to the fair administration of justice, leaving no recourse but to impose a gag order. This decision followed Merchan's setting of April 15 as the commencement date for the unprecedented criminal trial of a former president.
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Trump is accused of falsifying business records in connection with payments made by his lawyer, Michael Cohen, to Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 election. Additionally, Trump faces numerous charges related to alleged election interference and the unauthorised retention of classified White House documents.
(With inputs from agencies)