The Challenge of Gagging Trump Amid Threats and Accusations.

Former President Trump's personal attacks on Judge Juan Merchan and others during his trial on 34 felony counts in New York have raised concerns about the potential need for a gag order. While no court would want to restrict the speech of a presidential candidate during a campaign, if Trump continues his rhetoric, the Manhattan criminal court may have no choice but to impose a gag order to protect the defendants' and government's rights to a fair trial. Prosecutors are already working on a protective order to prevent Trump from sharing discovery materials on social media or with third parties.