Judge issues limited protective order in Trump’s 2020 election case

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan on Friday said former President Donald Trump could only disclose non-sensitive evidence to the public. The judge agreed with the Justice Department that certain sensitive material must remain between Trump and his legal team. However, she also agreed with Trump’s defense team on a looser version of a protective order than requested by the Justice Department. Chutkan also warned Trump against making intimidating statements toward witnesses, even if they were ambiguous.

Why did the Justice Department seek a protective order? Protective orders are common in criminal cases. The Justice Department had asked for a protective order after Trump issued a statement saying he would be “coming after” anyone that would “go after” him. Prosecutors argued the statement could discourage witnesses from testifying. A Trump spokesperson defended the post as “the definition of political speech.”

Dig deeper: Read R. Albert Mohler Jr.’s column in WORLD Opinions discussing the charges against Trump.