A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has temporarily halted the gag order imposed on former President Donald J. Trump in the federal case accusing him of seeking to overturn the 2020 presidential election. This move allowed Trump to speak freely about his views on the prosecutors and witnesses involved in the case.

https://twitter.com/mrddmia/status/1720557716077174808

Judge Tanya S. Chutkan of a Federal District Court in Washington, D.C., delivered the initial gag order, which has been subject to continued legal battles ever since, resulting in its temporary suspension. 

This recent pause will extend until at least Nov. 20 and gives the appeals court time to consider whether the gag order was correctly imposed in the first place and whether a longer suspension is warranted. The temporary stay does not imply a ruling on the merits of Trump’s request for an extended pause.

Prosecutors on Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team have gone above and beyond to paint Trump as problematic to the case, particularly concerning his social media posts. They repeatedly highlighted what they claimed were dangerous side effects of Trump’s posts targeting people involved in the case. 

Trump’s legal team has vehemently argued that Chutkan’s order is a piece of a larger plan by President Joe Biden to snuff out his competition in the 2024 election — a race in which anyone can see he’s losing.

Trump’s attorneys contend that the gag order infringes upon his First Amendment right to communicate the very essence of his campaign to the American people — that message being that the indictments stacking up against him are part of a politically driven witch hunt. But some legal eagles are claiming the ruling signals the judges know the order is unconstitutional. 

https://twitter.com/IngrahamAngle/status/1720855930554744952 

The most recent suspension of the gag order has cracked the door open for Trump to resume making posts that may have violated the initial restrictions set by Chutkan. 

That order prohibited Trump from singling out Jack Smith, Chutkan’s court staff or any potential witnesses in the trial. The last time the gag order was suspended, Trump wasted no time before jumping on Truth Social to “jump on” Jack Smith, referring to him as “deranged.”

With the temporary pausing of the gag order, Trump now has free rein to openly express his opinions on the prosecutors and witnesses involved in the case. Still, the ultimate fate of the gag order remains uncertain.