Federal prosecutors in former US President Donald Trump’s 2020 election interference case requested a court order on Friday to prevent Trump from making certain prejudicial and extrajudicial statements in an effort to limit jury interference. The case is in the US District Court for the District of Columbia.

The motion argues that, since Trump’s jury indictment, he has “repeatedly and widely disseminated public statements attacking [] citizens …, the Court, prosecutors, and prospective witnesses.” The motion cites several Trump posts that are “repeated inflammatory attacks on the judicial system, the Court, and the citizens … who compromise the jury pool in this case.” One of these posts called the justice system “rigged.” As a result, the motion requests a court order pursuant to Local Criminal Rule 57.7(c) to prohibit these types of statements. Rule 57.7(c) allows a court in “a widely publicized or sensational criminal case,” to “issue a special order governing such matters as extrajudicial statements by parties, witnesses and attorneys likely to interfere with the rights of the accused to a fair trial by an impartial jury.” Thus, the prosecutors request a “narrowly tailored order” that restricts certain statements that “present a serious and substantial danger of materially prejudicing this case.”

In response to the motion, Trump tweeted on Truth Social:

Biden Prosecutor, Deranged Jack Smith, has asked the Court to limit 45th President, and leading Republican Nominee (by more than 50 points, & beating Dems!) DONALD J. TRUMP’S, PUBLIC STATEMENTS. So, I’m campaigning for President against an incompetent person who has WEAPONIZED the DOJ & FBI to go after his Political Opponent, & I am not allowed to COMMENT? They Leak, Lie, & Sue, & they won’t allow me to SPEAK? How else would I explain that Jack Smith is DERANGED, or Crooked Joe is INCOMPETENT?

A federal grand jury indicted Trump in this case in August 2023. Trump pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to defraud the US government, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against US voters’ civil rights. A Georgia state grand jury also indicted Trump in August on 13 criminal charges relating to the 2020 election.