Judge imposes gag order in Trump hush money case

A New York judge placed Donald Trump under a gag order ahead of his criminal hush money case that begins 15 April.

He is barred from making public statements about court staff, jurors, witnesses and lawyers in the district attorney's office - or their families.

The gag order does not apply to the district attorney.

It is also limited in some instances, as some of the comments would have to be "made with the intent to materially interfere" with the case.

Justice Juan Merchan granted the request for the limited gag order from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

Earlier today, Mr Trump attacked Justice Merchan's daughter on his Truth Social account, and called the judge a "certified Trump hater."

Mr Trump faces 34 felony counts in connection with hush money payments allegedly made to Stormy Daniels, an adult film star, ahead of the 2016 election.

He has pleaded not guilty and called the case politically motivated.

Justice Merchan is not the first judge to impose such restrictions on Mr Trump.

The former president has frequently attacked prosecutors and court staffers involved in his myriad of legal cases. At times, it has served to galvanize his supporters.

A judge in an earlier civil case involving his real estate companies placed Mr Trump under a gag order after he attacked a court clerk via social media. He also twice fined the former president for violating the order.

Mr Trump must pay a $454m bond that came as a result of that civil fraud trial. An appeals court temporarily slashed that payment to $175m on Monday.