Trump Lawyers Accuse Jack Smith of Trying to Silence Biden’s Top Political Opponent

In a court filing on Monday, attorneys for Donald Trump requested changes be made to a proposed protective order in the federal case concerning the former president’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Trump’s attorney argue that special counsel Jack Smith is trying to silence President Biden’s top political opponent ahead of the 2024 election.

“In a trial about First Amendment rights, the government seeks to restrict First Amendment rights,” Trump’s lawyers write in the filing. “Worse, it does so against its administration’s primary political opponent, during an election season in which the administration, prominent party members, and media allies have campaigned on the indictment and proliferated its false allegations.”

It goes on to say that Biden has “capitalized on the indictment, posting a thinly veiled reference to his administration’s prosecution of President Trump just hours before arraignment.” That reference is a post on X featuring a video of Biden drinking out of a “Dark Brandon” mug with the caption, “A cup of Joe never tasted better.”

The Justice Department has asked U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing the case, to issue a protective order over evidence in the case. 

The request came after Trump posted to Truth Social on Friday in all capital letters: “If you go after me, I’m coming after you!”