Jack Smith, the special counsel, is raising eyebrows over former President Donald Trump's recent actions, suggesting they might be a breach of his release conditions.
One of the incidents that caught Smith's attention was Trump's visit to a gun store in South Carolina. During this visit, Trump was seen holding a custom Glock. This might seem harmless to some, but Smith believes there's more to the story.
Steven Cheung, Trump's spokesman, initially shared a video of this event on X (previously known as Twitter). The caption suggested that Trump had made a purchase. However, Cheung later removed the post and clarified that Trump had expressed interest in buying but did not confirm the purchase.
Smith, however, is not convinced. He believes that the video might show Trump violating his release conditions. The conditions state that while Trump can possess firearms he already owns, he cannot acquire new ones.
But Smith's worries aren't limited to the gun store visit. He also pointed out Trump's public criticisms of Gen. Mark Milley, the outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and a prosecutor in Smith's office.
According to Smith, these actions further justify the need for a gag order on Trump, Washington Examiner reported.
Smith argues that the court can restrict extrajudicial statements if they pose a "substantial likelihood of material prejudice."
He believes that Trump's statements fit this criterion and that a gag order would prevent comments that could influence the trial's outcome or prejudice potential jurors.
It's worth noting that a hearing has been scheduled for October 16 to discuss the possibility of imposing this gag order. The trial itself is set to commence on March 4, 2024, a day before Super Tuesday.
As expected, Trump's defense team isn't taking Smith's claims lying down. They argue that the timing of the trial, just before Super Tuesday, is reason enough to dismiss the gag order. They believe it would unfairly censor a presidential candidate during the 2024 election.
Furthermore, they've dismissed Smith's claims that Trump's statements could intimidate potential witnesses. They find it laughable to suggest that the prosecution and the court could be "intimidated" by Trump's social media posts.
It's no secret that Trump has a history of making fiery remarks on social media. He's known for calling out prosecutors and judges in his indictments, often labeling them as politically motivated or "radical" liberals.
With the hearing on the gag order approaching, all eyes are on how this will play out. Will the court impose restrictions on Trump, or will his defense team successfully argue against it?
One thing is clear: this saga is far from over.
As the trial date approaches, we can expect more twists and turns in this already convoluted story.
If you found this article informative, please consider sharing it on Twitter and Facebook.
