Special counsel Jack Smith is asking for a gag order for former President Trump, to limit his public statements regarding his 2020 election interference case.
Smith wants to block Trump from making "inflammatory and intimidating comments" about witnesses, lawyers, the presiding judge and others involved.
"The defendant engendered widespread mistrust in the administration of the election, and the individuals whom he targeted were subject to threats and harassment," Smith wrote in the motion.
Trump responded to the gag order while taking the stage at the Pray Vote Stand summit in D.C. Friday night. The former president called Smith "deranged," while also accusing the White House of weaponizing the Department of Justice.
"Deranged Jack Smith, has anyone ever heard of him?" Trump asked while on stage. "He's a deranged individual and he wants to take away my First Amendment rights. They went to court to Get an order that I can't speak."
"They want to see if they can silence me," he said.
Prosecutors cited, among other things, Trump's Truth Social Post just days after being indicted in D.C. where he wrote, "If you go after me, I'm coming after you."
Judge Tanya Chutkan has set Trump's trial for March 4, 2024.
Trump pleads not guilty to charges he tried to overturn 2020 election
Donald Trump was indicted on four counts, including conspiracy charges and obstructing or impeding the certification of the electoral vote.
