The multiple trials facing Donald Trump could undermine his popularity with certain Republican delegates.
Agence France-Presse
The judge in Donald Trump's New York criminal trial for hidden payments to a pornographic film actress in 2016 imposed speech restrictions on him on Tuesday, particularly concerning witnesses, jurors and court staff.
This decision by Judge Juan Merchan, who will preside over the proceedings at the ex-president's trial from April 15, follows a request presented in February by the prosecutor, Alvin Bragg.
It calls on Donald Trump to refrain from public comments targeting known or likely witnesses at the trial, members of the prosecutor's team with the exception of the latter, their family members, as well as any juror or putative juror in this criminal proceeding.
This decision was announced a few hours after publications by the Republican candidate for the November presidential election on his Truth Social network attacking the magistrate and his daughter.
Donald Trump accused Juan Merchan of hating him, believing that he should recuse himself because he could not guarantee him a fair trial. He added that the judge's daughter worked for a company employed by Democratic House Representative Adam Schiff, one of his fiercest opponents in Congress.
Donald Trump faces justice
Consult the complete file
Donald Trump faces justice
View full file
FollowFollow
Without directly citing the publications he is targeting, Judge Merchan mentions statements targeting this court and a member of his family, the prosecutor and a deputy prosecutor, the witnesses in this case and recalls his attacks in #x27;other trials which led to similar decisions.
Donald Trump is under speech restrictions over his federal trial in Washington on charges of illegal maneuvers aimed at invalidating the results of the #x27;2020 election.
These restrictions apply to prosecutors (with the exception of special prosecutor Jack Smith who is investigating the case), court staff, and witnesses.
During his civil trial in New York for financial fraud within his real estate empire, the Trump Organization, Judge Arthur Engoron had forbidden the parties any public comment aimed at his team, after a degrading publication for his chief clerk published by Donald Trump on Truth Social.