On Tuesday, the New York judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial partially lifted the gag order that has barred him from speaking about the case’s witnesses and jurors. However, he is still prohibited from revealing identifying information about members of the panel that convicted him on all counts in late May.
“There is ample evidence to justify continued concern for the jurors,” New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan wrote in his five-page order.
Trump is also still barred from attacking prosecutors and court staff, although he is free to speak about Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the judge.
A panel of 12 Manhattanites found Trump guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records relating to a hush money payment made to porn actor Stormy Daniels in the days before the 2016 presidential election. Daniels provided extensive testimony in the trial, as did Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen, who made the payment on behalf of his boss.
The former president faces sentencing in the case on July 11.
Merchan’s order marks a victory for the defense, as Trump’s team has been arguing for the gag order to be lifted since the verdict came down.