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The former US president remains prohibited from discussing his New York criminal trial.
Former US President Donald Trump remains under a court-imposed restriction from discussing his Manhattan criminal case, even following the jury’s verdict, as confirmed by the New York Court of Appeals on Tuesday.
Judge Juan Merchan had instituted the gag order against Trump during his trial on 34 counts of "falsifying business records," which District Attorney Alvin Bragg argued may have breached campaign finance laws and improperly influenced the 2016 election. The jury delivered a guilty verdict on all charges by the end of May.
Trump’s legal team has consistently opposed the gag order, emphasizing its impact on his 2024 presidential campaign. The appeals court has upheld the order, citing that "no substantial constitutional question is directly involved."
"The Gag Order unjustly muzzles President Trump, the leading contender for President of the United States, during a critical phase of his campaign," remarked Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung on Tuesday, pledging continued legal efforts against what they deem an unconstitutional restriction.
According to Trump's campaign, the gag order violates both the First Amendment rights of President Trump and the rights of American voters to hear his message. The First Amendment prohibits governmental censorship of speech and the press. Trump has characterized his prosecution as politically motivated and part of a "witch hunt" orchestrated by President Biden and his administration.
Trump’s legal team has also pointed out the potential for Biden to highlight Trump’s conviction in the upcoming 2024 campaign, notably during the first presidential debate scheduled for later this month, where Trump’s ability to respond may be constrained.
Trump is currently the presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election, with formal confirmation expected at the national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin next month. However, Judge Merchan has set the sentencing hearing for July 11, just days before the convention begins.
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