Jack Smith, Special Counsel to the President of the United States, has accused Donald Trump of violating his release terms in Washington DC regarding the indictment of the former president relating to the election.
According to the filing, the accusation is based on a post by Trump’s spokesman Steven Cheung. Cheung alleged that Trump bought a “Glock” while visiting a South Carolina gun store, possibly violating the laws against people under indictment purchasing firearms. The filing also mentions that Trump recently suggested in a post that Mark Milley (his former Joint Chiefs of Staff) be executed for treason.
New: Special Counsel flags to US district judge Chutkan that Trump may have violated the terms of his release over the Glock stunt in South Carolina — where he said he intended to buy the gun, a violation of federal law when under indictment, and spox walked it back. pic.twitter.com/pNY6spiDyg
— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) September 30, 2023
Smith had requested a gag in the previous weeks. Judge Tanya Chutkan responded by setting an October 16th hearing date to address the issue.
JUST IN: Judge Chutkan schedules a hearing on DOJ gag order request for Trump.
Scheduled for 10am on Oct. 16. pic.twitter.com/FqpHK3uvg7
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) September 29, 2023
It doesn’t appear that Trump purchased the gun. The many cameras in the room did not capture the former president submitting the paperwork required or making any payment. It is therefore likely that Cheung’s statement was made in an effort to appease Second Amendment supporters. The post was deleted as soon as the mistake was discovered.
I’m unsure how this will affect the application for a gag. Smith appears to be saying even the suggestion that the release terms have been violated is enough for a gag order. The final decision is up to the judge. Trump is not a man who can be swayed by a softer approach, so the situation will likely continue to escalate.
