The judge presiding over the New York criminal case against Donald Trump on Tuesday slapped the former president with a partial gag order.
The ruling from Judge Juan Merchan orders Trump to “refrain” from “making or directing others to make public statements about known or reasonably foreseeable witnesses concerning their potential participation” in the falsifying business records case, as well as about individual prosecutors, court staff, juror and potential jurors.
The order does not apply to the judge or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
The judge said the move was necessary because “the Defendant’s prior extrajudicial statements establishes a sufficient risk to the administration of justice” and “there exists no less restrictive means to prevent such risk.”
The case is set to go trial April 15.
