Judge in Documents Case Considers Trump Gag Order Request

Judge Aileen Cannon heard arguments on gag order request and whether the funding of special counsel Jack Smith’s position is constitutional.

The Alto Lee Adams Sr. United States Courthouse, where U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon is holding a hearing regarding former President Donald Trump in Fort Pierce, Fla., on May 22, 2024. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon held two hearings in former President Donald Trump’s classified documents case on June 24, with arguments on special counsel Jack Smith’s appointment and a request to modify the conditions of release for the former president.

The modified conditions, effectively a gag order, may rely on a close reading of former President Trump’s social media statements. The arguments focused not on First Amendment issues, as previous gag orders have, but a standard of “safety.”