Donald J. Trump’s legal team criticized a request by federal prosecutors on Monday to restrict his public comments regarding a case accusing him of retaining classified documents illegally after leaving office.
In a strongly worded court filing, the lawyers objected to the special counsel’s request to amend Trump’s conditions of release by prohibiting him from making statements that could jeopardize federal agents involved in the prosecution.
The special counsel, Jack Smith, sought a limited gag order on Trump after he made false claims on social media that the F.B.I. had been authorized to kill him during a search of Mar-a-Lago in August 2022. The former president’s statements were based on an operational order for the search that outlined protocols for the use of deadly force in emergencies.
Trump’s lawyers filed a motion in Federal District Court in Florida, calling the request an unconstitutional censorship attempt that unfairly targets his campaign speech as a presidential candidate.
They urged Judge Aileen M. Cannon to dismiss the request and consider contempt sanctions against the prosecutors for filing it. The lawyers accused the prosecutors of seeking media attention rather than pursuing justice.
Trump’s legal team also requested a hearing to assess the motives behind the request to prevent him from making statements that could endanger the agents working on the case.
The defense has used various tactics to delay the trial, including scheduling unnecessary proceedings, in a bid to postpone the trial until after the election.
The legal battle between the defense and prosecution in the classified documents case has escalated, with Trump’s lawyers leveling accusations of misconduct against the special counsel and Judge Cannon adjusting the case schedule to delay the trial.
The defense team criticized the prosecutors for bias and recklessness, referring to them as “the Thought Police” and questioning their motives. They also accused the prosecutors of failing to follow procedural rules in their interactions with the defense.
The defense plans to challenge the special counsel’s request on substantive grounds in the future, citing the last-minute nature of the request and the prosecutors’ alleged violation of communication rules.
The defense highlighted instances of unprofessional conduct by the prosecutors, including a recent incident in court where a prosecutor was reprimanded by Judge Cannon for losing his temper.
