Donald Trump Seems to Be Self-Destructing Over His Gag Orders Because ‘He Doesn’t Give a Damn’

Former President Donald Trump has hit the headlines for violating not just one, but two gag orders in a week. 

"If you go after me, I will come after you," reads one of the Truth Social posts on his profile. After continually publishing threats like that on social media, Trump got slapped with a gag order, reported 1945 magazine. Judge Arthur Engoron placed such a limitation on the former president on the second day of his continuing civil fraud trial following him posting a photo of Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer with a court clerk.

“Personal attacks on members of my court staff are unacceptable and inappropriate and I will not tolerate them under any circumstances,” Engoron said while announcing the gag order. In the federal election meddling lawsuit in Washington, D.C., District Judge Tanya Chutkan reinstated her limited gag order on the former president, in addition to Engoron. Trump has now been restricted by Judge Chutkan “from making any public statements, or directing others to make any public statements, that target (1) the Special Counsel prosecuting this case or his staff; (2) defense counsel or their staff; (3) any of this court’s staff or other supporting personnel; or (4) any reasonably foreseeable witness or the substance of their testimony.”

Trump's words, according to Chutkan, present a "significant and immediate risk" of intimidating witnesses and harassing or threatening attorneys and court personnel. She also described this risk as "largely irreversible." 

Donald Trump has little choice but to politicize his legal disputes as a man who will probably spend more time in court than on the campaign trail in 2024. Nonetheless, the combative language that has come to be associated with his political achievements runs counter to the safeguarding of witnesses in a court of law.

On October 24, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie addressed a crowd of people during a town hall in Manchester. "I’ve known this guy for 22 years,” Christie said, per WMUR News. “He does not care for anyone other than himself. No one. He doesn't give a damn about this country, and his conduct proves he doesn't give a damn about this country."

Donald Trump is still seen as a strong GOP front-runner despite the growing legal problems and scandals around him. The gag orders are sure to have some effect on Trump's public image too. Donald Trump was down by two points in the Morning Consult tracking survey this week at 59 percent of Republican support, compared to last week when he had 61 percent of Republican support. This week, NBC News reported that all other contenders except for Trump and Biden are "playing for second," in terms of both funding and polling results.

"None of [the candidates] are flush with the kind of cash that would suggest they are poised to take down a front-runner who has more dollars, universal name recognition, and an unmatched capacity to suck up media attention," an NBC News analysis of recent fundraising statistics states.