Prosecutors Seek to Restrict Trump's Statements in Classified Documents Case
Prosecutors in the classified documents case against Donald Trump have asked a federal judge to block the former president from making public statements that could endanger law enforcement officers involved in the investigation. The request, filed on Friday, aims to address concerns over Trump’s recent claims that the Biden administration authorized the FBI to use deadly force during the 2022 search of his Mar-a-Lago estate.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump alleged that the Biden administration “AUTHORIZED THE FBI TO USE DEADLY (LETHAL) FORCE” in the search for classified documents. Additionally, a fundraising email from Trump’s campaign claimed that President Joe Biden was “locked & loaded ready to take me out” during the search. Prosecutors from special counsel Jack Smith’s office argued in their filing that these statements pose a "significant, imminent, and foreseeable danger to law enforcement agents."
The Justice Department highlighted that agents followed standard procedures during the search, adhering to the Department of Justice’s use-of-force policy. Prosecutors emphasized that Trump’s repeated mischaracterizations have endangered law enforcement officers and compromised the integrity of the legal proceedings.
The filing includes an image from the indictment against Trump showing boxes of records stored in the Lake Room at Mar-a-Lago before being moved to a storage room in June 2021. Trump faces 37 felony charges related to the mishandling of classified documents, as revealed in the indictment unsealed in June 2023.
Prosecutors noted that Trump was in New Jersey at the time of the FBI search, which was scheduled to avoid needless confrontation and ensure the former president and his family were not present. They argued that the former president’s claims were baseless and intended to incite hostility toward law enforcement.
Prosecutors are seeking a modification of Trump’s conditions of release to prevent further inflammatory statements, rather than a gag order. They argue that Trump’s compliance with these conditions is essential to ensure his continued release.
Trump’s attorneys opposed the motion and its timing. A campaign spokesperson criticized the request, claiming it was an attempt to silence Trump during the presidential campaign and interfere with the election. Attorney General Merrick Garland and the FBI have both refuted Trump’s claims, describing them as false and dangerous.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to charges of willfully retaining national defense information and obstructing justice by allegedly ordering the deletion of security footage at Mar-a-Lago. The trial has been indefinitely postponed.
