Federal prosecutors have brought attention to a social media post from former President Donald Trump that they claim specifically targeted individuals involved in his criminal case. Following his arraignment in a Washington, D.C., district court, Trump made a post on his Truth Social account, stating, “If you go after me, I’m coming after you!” The attorneys on Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team argued that the post could be interpreted as referring to those connected to Trump’s case, either explicitly or implicitly.
In response to the prosecutors’ concerns, Team Trump issued a statement asserting that the post was not directed at anyone involved in his criminal case. They characterized it as political speech, emphasizing that it was a response to various special interest groups and Super PACs they deemed unfavorable.
The prosecutors expressed apprehension that Trump might share sensitive case evidence on his social media account and urged the judge to order him to refrain from making such information public. However, as of now, Smith has not sought a gag order against Trump in either the January 6 case or the one involving classified documents.
The proposed order seeks to prevent the improper dissemination or use of discovery materials, particularly given Trump’s history of making public statements on social media regarding witnesses, judges, attorneys, and others involved in legal matters related to him. The prosecutors cited multiple posts, including the one made just hours before, as examples of Trump’s recent online activity related to the case.
Earlier in the week, Trump was indicted on four charges linked to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights. He pleaded not guilty to all charges during his arraignment.
Outside the D.C. courthouse at the time of the arraignment, Trump’s attorney, Alina Habba, accused the Department of Justice of targeting Trump to divert attention from negative news about President Joe Biden and his family. Habba described the situation as an unprecedented form of election interference against a leading presidential candidate.
This indictment from Special Counsel Jack Smith marks the third criminal case brought against Trump in the past year. He previously pleaded not guilty to charges related to his handling of classified documents and hush money payments to Stormy Daniels, the porn actress. The legal battles continue to cast a shadow on Trump’s post-presidency life.