Former President Donald Trump is facing backlash after attacking special counsel Jack Smith following the unsealing of the prosecutor's request for a gag order in the government's 2020 election interference case against him. Trump took to his new social media platform, Truth Social, to express his frustration, referring to Smith as “deranged” and accusing him of weaponizing the DOJ and FBI to go after political opponents.

Smith, in response, accused Trump of spreading knowingly false accusations and baseless claims about US District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is handling the proceedings, in an attempt to influence potential jurors and witnesses. Smith argued that Trump's public statements were not only undermining the integrity of the proceedings but also prejudicing the jury pool.

The prosecutor's 19-page gag-order request included numerous posts made by Trump on Truth Social since his indictment in August on charges of conspiracy to defraud the US government and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. Trump's posts referred to Judge Chutkan as a "fraud dressed up as a judge" and a "biased, Trump-hating judge."

Smith also highlighted a post in which Trump complained about not being able to get a fair trial in Washington, DC, calling it "filthy and crime-ridden" and "over 95% anti-Trump." He argued that Trump's disparaging and inflammatory posts on Truth Social had been a near-daily occurrence since the indictment.

Federal prosecutors have now requested a "narrowly tailored" gag order on Trump, citing his incessant social media attacks on individuals involved in the case. They expressed concern that some of the people targeted by Trump had subsequently received threats from others. The prosecutors' motion brought attention to the issue of the former president's online statements and their potential to undermine public confidence in the judicial system.

The request has been made to Judge Tanya S. Chutkan, who herself has been the subject of Trump's verbal assaults. At a previous hearing, Judge Chutkan warned Trump's lawyers about making remarks that could intimidate witnesses or prejudice potential jurors. However, Trump continued to post messages on his social media platform that amplified criticism of Judge Chutkan.

The request for a gag order is seen as an attempt to protect the integrity of the proceedings and prevent further undermining of public confidence in the judicial system. The case against Trump highlights the broader issue of how public figures' social media presence can impact legal proceedings and the potential consequences of their statements on witnesses and jurors.