Federal prosecutors have made a formal request to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who is overseeing the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump, urging her to impose restrictions on Trump's public statements. The prosecutors are seeking to bar Trump from making any statements that could potentially endanger law enforcement officers involved in the prosecution.
This request comes in response to Trump's recent remarks regarding the FBI agents who conducted a search at his Mar-a-Lago estate in August 2022. Trump made distorted claims, suggesting that the agents were prepared to use deadly force against him and his family during the search. Prosecutors argue that Trump's statements falsely imply that federal agents were complicit in a plot to assassinate him, thus putting law enforcement personnel at risk of threats, violence, and harassment.
In their court filing, prosecutors emphasized that the FBI's use-of-force policy prohibits the use of deadly force except in situations where there is an imminent danger of death or serious physical injury to the officers or others. They clarified that no force was used during the search, which was conducted in coordination with the U.S. Secret Service and in the absence of Trump and his family.
Prosecutors argue that Trump's repeated mischaracterization of the facts poses a significant threat to the safety of law enforcement officers involved in the case, some of whom are expected to testify at his trial. They contend that restricting Trump from making similar statements in the future does not impede his legitimate right to free speech.
However, defense lawyers have objected to the government's motion, and Trump's attorney has not yet responded to the request. Meanwhile, Attorney General Merrick Garland has condemned Trump's claims as "extremely dangerous," emphasizing that the FBI's use-of-force policy is standard procedure and was even applied during a search of President Joe Biden's home.
Trump is facing multiple felony charges related to the alleged hoarding of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate and obstructing the FBI's efforts to retrieve them. Despite pleading not guilty and denying any wrongdoing, Trump's legal battles continue as he navigates several criminal cases while simultaneously pursuing a return to the White House.
