A federal judge has denied the request of former President Donald Trump's legal team for an extension to respond to the Department of Justice's request for a protective order.
The DOJ asked U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan to issue a protective order after prosecutors said that the former president posted on social media a promise of revenge on anyone who went after him.
The post Trump made on his Truth Social platform on Friday said, in all capital letters, "If you go after me, I’m coming after you!"
This was posted a day after Trump pleaded not guilty to charges of trying to overturn his 2020 election loss and block the peaceful transition of power.
Prosecutors ask for protective order after Trump post promises revenge
"If you go after me, I'm coming after you!" Trump wrote in all capital letters on Truth Social.
Prosecutors requested the protective order to restrict what information Trump and his legal team can publicly share about the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith. Their main concern is focused on Trump's social media posts about "witnesses, judges, attorneys, and others associated with legal matters pending against him."
On Saturday, Judge Chutkan gave Trump's legal team until 5 p.m. Monday to reply to the government's request. Trump's legal team subsequently filed a request for an extension until Thursday, along with a hearing on the matter, citing the need for more time for discussions.
But Judge Chutkan promptly denied the extension request on Saturday evening, reaffirming that Trump is required to adhere to the original deadline of Monday.
"The court will determine whether to schedule a hearing to discuss the proposed protective order after reviewing Defendant's response and, if included, his revised proposed protective order with modifications in redline," Chutkan wrote in the decision denying the extension.
