US prosecutors have flagged a threatening social media post from former president Donald Trump in a late-night court filing, arguing that it suggests he might intimidate witnesses by improperly disclosing confidential evidence received from the government.
On his Truth Social site, the former US president wrote, "IF YOU GO AFTER ME, I'M COMING AFTER YOU!" yesterday afternoon, a day after he pleaded not guilty to charges that he orchestrated a criminal conspiracy to try to reverse his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.
In the filing in Washington federal court, the office of Special Counsel Jack Smith said Mr Trump's post raised concerns that he might publicly reveal secret material, such as grand jury transcripts, obtained from prosecutors.
Under the process known as discovery, prosecutors are required to provide defendants with the evidence against them so they can prepare their defense.
"It could have a harmful chilling effect on witnesses or adversely affect the fair administration of justice in this case," prosecutors wrote, noting that Mr Trump has a history of attacking judges, attorneys and witnesses in other cases against him.
At his arraignment on Thursday, Mr Trump swore not to intimidate witnesses or communicate with them without legal counsel present.
The prosecutors' filing asked US District Judge Tanya Chutkan to issue a protective order prohibiting Mr Trump and his lawyers from sharing any discovery materials with unauthorised people.
Protective orders are routine in cases involving confidential documents, but prosecutors said it was particularly important to restrict public dissemination given Mr Trump's social media statements.
US District Judge Tanya Chutkan gave Mr Trump until 5pm (10pm Irish time) on Monday to respond.
Mr Trump's attorneys asked for three more days to prepare their response but Judge Chutkan quickly denied the request.
Judge Chutkan added she will determine whether a hearing is needed after reviewing Mr Trump's response.
A spokesperson for Mr Trump issued a statement defending the former president's social media post.
"The Truth post cited is the definition of political speech, and was in response to the Rino, China-loving, dishonest special interest groups and super PAC's," the statement said.
Mr Trump has also pleaded not guilty in two other criminal cases.
He faces federal charges in Miami for allegedly retaining classified documents after leaving office and obstructing justice, and state charges in Manhattan for allegedly falsifying business records to hide hush money payments to an adult entertainer.
He faces a possible fourth indictment in Georgia, where Atlanta prosecutors have been investigating his efforts to overturn the election results there.
Mr Trump has portrayed all of the investigations as part of a political witch hunt intended to stymie his 2024 campaign.
Trump calls indictment 'unconstitutional travesty'
Mr Trump appeared before ardent supporters in the deeply conservative southern state of Alabama last night, dismissing the latest federal indictment against him a day earlier as an "illegal and unconstitutional travesty" and calling the indictment "ridiculous".
"It's an act of desperation by a failed disgraced crooked Joe Biden and his radical left thugs to preserve their grip on power," Mr Trump told the crowd.
A day after his visit to largely hostile Washington, Mr Trump received a warm reception at the Republican summer dinner in Montgomery, Alabama's state capital.
The 77-year-old billionaire won Alabama by landslides in 2016 and 2020, and all six Republicans the state sends to the House of Representatives in Washington endorsed his re-election bid ahead of the evening engagement.
He is also backed by Alabama's senior senator, lieutenant governor and agriculture commissioner, although the junior senator and the governor have yet to endorse any candidate in the Republican primary.
Mr Trump was yesterday 39 points ahead of his closest rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, in FiveThirtyEight's national polling average - the kind of lead that has never been surmounted in modern primary contests.
The former reality TV kingpin and property mogul, estimated by Forbes to be worth $2.5 billion, has won the backing of more than 80 members of Alabama's House and Senate, dwarfing the roster of five politicians backing Mr DeSantis.
"DeSantis is a nice guy, but Donald has been there," Robert Nail, a resident of the state's largest county, Baldwin, told local news portal AL.com.
"He knows what to do and will hit the ground running. This nonsense with indictments is just background noise."
