Trump asks court to remove gag order after guilty verdict

NEW YORK: Donald Trump has requested a judge to lift the gag order placed on him during his New York criminal trial. This trial saw Trump become the first former US president to be convicted, according to a filing released on Tuesday.

Judge Juan Merchan had imposed the gag order before the trial began in April, restricting Trump from publicly commenting on jurors, witnesses, prosecutors, and court staff. The order was later expanded to include Trump's family and the family of the prosecutor. Trump was fined $10,000 by the Manhattan court for breaking the order ten times and was warned with jail for continuing to violate the judge's ruling.

Before the gag order, Trump frequently attacked witnesses and prosecutors through posts on his Truth Social platform.

Last week, jurors found Trump guilty of falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal during the final stages of the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump's sentencing is scheduled for 11 July.

In a letter to the judge on Monday, Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, requested the termination of the gag order. "Now that the trial is concluded, the concerns articulated by the government and the court do not justify continued restrictions on the First Amendment rights of President Trump, who remains the leading candidate in the 2024 presidential election," Blanche wrote.

Citing comments from President Joe Biden following the verdict in hush money case, Blanche stressed the court to lift the gag order.

A spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg did not immediately respond to a request for comment.