A judicial ruling by Judge Juan Merchan on Tuesday has significantly changed the constraints on former President Donald Trump following his recent trial. Under a revised gag order, Trump is now allowed to publicly discuss the roles of jurors and witnesses from his criminal trial, which led to his felony c.onviction in May. However, the order still restricts him from discussing other individuals related to the case until his sentencing on July 11, according to The Associated Press.
This ruling follows Trump’s conviction for falsifying business records to conceal a potential sex scandal. The historic verdict made Trump the first former president to be convicted of a criminal charge, with the jury finding him guilty on all 34 counts.
Merchan issued the gag order on Trump on March 26, just weeks before the trial commenced. This ruling, arising from Trump’s legal battle in Manhattan, prohibited him from making public comments about court staff involved in his criminal case. The order followed Trump’s social media posts targeting court personnel.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said he was disappointed with Merchan’s decision not to fully rescind the gag order. “This is another unlawful decision by a highly conflicted judge, which is blatantly un-American as it gags President Trump, the leading candidate in the 2024 Presidential Election during the upcoming Presidential Debate on Thursday,” Cheung said. He further stated that Trump’s legal team “will immediately challenge” the order.
Just days before his Thursday debate with Joe Biden, the Republican frontrunner is free to go on the offensive once more. The previously restrictive gag order, though still limited, now permits Trump to target his former lawyer Michael Cohen, adult film actress Stormy Daniels, and other key witnesses.
The high-profile debate is scheduled for Thursday, June 27, at 9:00 p.m. EDT in Atlanta, Georgia, with CNN hosting the event. Moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will oversee the 90-minute debate, which is designed to proceed without interruptions.
This will mark a critical juncture in the political calendar, marking the first time Biden and Trump will share the stage since the 2020 presidential debates. The event is part of two that the Biden campaign has agreed to, stepping away from the traditional Commission on Presidential Debates-organized events. The second debate is planned for September 10, hosted by ABC News.