Smith accuses Trump of trying to intimidate witnesses, including his former chief of staff, Mark Meadows.
Special counsel Jack Smith asked a federal judge to reimpose a gag order on former President Donald Trump in his election interference case in Washington, D.C., accusing him of trying to intimidate witnesses — including his former chief of staff, Mark Meadows.
Trump has “capitalized” on the temporary suspension of his partial gag order to “send an unmistakable and threatening message to a foreseeable witness in this case,” Smith wrote in a filing Wednesday night in U.S. District Court in Washington.
Smith pointed to Trump’s statements in response to ABC News’ report that Meadows, the final chief of staff of Trump’s presidency, has been granted immunity to testify to the special counsel’s prosecutors.
Meadows reportedly told Smith’s team that he told Trump repeatedly after his 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden that Trump’s claims about widespread voter fraud were baseless. Smith’s four-count indictment accuses Trump of illegally conspiring to overturn that loss. Trump has pleaded not guilty.
In a Truth Social post late Tuesday, Trump suggested that Smith had coerced Meadows into maligning him.
“Some people would make that deal, but they are weaklings and cowards, and so bad for the future our Failing Nation. I don’t think that Mark Meadows is one of them, but who really knows?” wrote Trump.
