Gag imposed: New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan imposed a limited gag order on Trump on March 26, three weeks before the scheduled start of his criminal trial for allegedly falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment during the 2016 election. He expanded that order on April 1, prompted by a flurry of aggressive comments Trump made on social media about the judge’s adult daughter, who deals professionally with Democratic candidates.
Reason for gag: Merchan wrote that Trump’s history of “prior extrajudicial statements establishes a sufficient risk to the administration of justice” to require the gag.
How it limits Trump’s speech: Trump is not allowed to speak about prosecutors working on the hush money case under Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, or their family members, court staff or their families, or relatives of Bragg or Merchan. He is permitted to target Bragg or Merchan in social media posts or campaign speeches.
The latest: When Merchan first issued the order, there was no prohibition on speech about the judge or his relatives. As Trump continued to attack Merchan’s adult daughter on social media, Bragg asked the judge to clarify or expand the order, and Merchan did.
