© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivers remarks to supporters at the Club 47 USA event in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. October 11, 2023. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo
By Andrew Goudsward
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A federal judge on Monday barred Donald Trump from targeting U.S. prosecutors, court staff and potential witnesses involved in a criminal case accusing him of him trying to overturn his 2020 election loss.
U.S. District Tanya Chutkan in Washington said she would not allow Trump, who has pleaded not guilty, to “launch a pretrial smear campaign” against people involved in the case.
“No other criminal defendant would be allowed to do so, and I’m not going to allow it in this case,” Chutkan said as she issued the order.
The order bars Trump and attorneys in the case from personally targeting Special Counsel Jack Smith, prosecutors working with him and court staff. It also prevents Trump from discussing potential witnesses as it relates to their testimony at trial.
(This story has been corrected to include the word ‘not’ in paragraph 3)