(Bloomberg) — US attorneys alerted a judge about a social media post made by Donald Trump that could be taken as a threat to those involved in several of the criminal and civil cases arrayed against him.
(Bloomberg) — US attorneys alerted a judge about a social media post made by Donald Trump that could be taken as a threat to those involved in several of the criminal and civil cases arrayed against him.
“If you go after me, I’m coming after you!” the former president wrote in all caps in a post on his Truth Social media platform Friday afternoon.
Prosecutors cited the post in their request for a protective order — routine in criminal cases — prohibiting Trump and his lawyers from publicly disclosing evidence they receive during the discovery process.
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The Trump campaign said in a statement that the social media post was political speech and was a response not to the court case but to attack ads funded by super PACs.
The request was filed in Trump’s latest criminal case: his indictment on four counts related to his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges Thursday.
“If the defendant were to begin issuing public posts using details — or, for example, grand jury transcripts — obtained in discovery here, it could have a harmful chilling effect on witnesses or adversely affect the fair administration of justice in this case,” Senior Assistant Special Counsels Molly Gaston and Thomas Windom wrote.
Trump’s post came a day after he was reminded by a magistrate judge during his arraignment that threatening or intimidating witnesses was a crime.
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–With assistance from Gregory Korte.
(Updated with statement from the Trump campaign in fourth paragraph)
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