A Manhattan judge on Tuesday granted prosecutors’ request for a limited gag order restricting Donald Trump’s public statements about people involved in the Stormy Daniels hush money case ahead of next month’s trial.
In a two-page order, state Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan prohibited Trump from making or directing anyone else to make public comments about known or possible witnesses regarding their participation, prosecutors handling the case — not including DA Alvin Bragg — the DA and Merchan’s staff and their relatives.
The order also prevents Trump from commenting on jurors or prospective jurors. The judge previously ruled that their identities would be anonymous to the public.
Trump had opposed the request. His attorneys did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.
Merchan, on Monday, set a new trial date of April 15. Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, alleging he concealed checks to his former fixer, Michael Cohen, in 2017 to disguise that they came as reimbursement for a payoff to Daniels in a broader scheme to secure his 2016 presidential victory.
This developing story will be updated.
