Jack Smith, the special counsel in former President Donald Trump's Washington case, is asking a federal judge to reinstate a gag order.

Smith filed a 32-page document on Wednesday in his attempt to add the move against the former president.

Special counsel urges judge to reimpose Trump’s federal gag order https://t.co/VtgEnmfbLx

— POLITICO (@politico) October 26, 2023

The situation

"U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is presiding over Trump’s federal criminal case on charges related to his efforts to subvert the 2020 election, imposed the gag order last week, only to pause it a few days later at Trump’s request after he filed an appeal," Politico reported.

"As soon as it was paused, Trump immediately unleashed a torrent of public invective that would have violated the order if it were in effect, the special counsel’s team argued in the new brief," it added.

Jack Smith accuses Trump of ‘threatening’ Mark Meadows; asks for gag order to be revived https://t.co/6avU32oa7z pic.twitter.com/t5ybpZya4s

— New York Post (@nypost) October 26, 2023

Trump's actions

"Trump on Tuesday targeted his former ally in a tirade on Truth Social after it was reported that Meadows had cut a deal with prosecutors granting him immunity in exchange for his testimony in the case," the New York Post reported.

“Some people would make that deal, but they are weaklings and cowards, and so bad for the future our Failing Nation. I don’t think that Mark Meadows is one of them, but who really knows?” Trump wrote.

The leftist judge's gag order prohibiting President Trump from criticizing rabid partisan hack Jack Smith is unconstitutional.

President Trump rightly said that he is willing to go to jail to stand for the First Amendment. On Verdict, I dare this leftist judge to issue an…

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) October 18, 2023

It's serious.

Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz took to social media to criticize Smith's attempt to reinstate the gag order against Trump.

"The leftist judge's gag order prohibiting President Trump from criticizing rabid partisan hack Jack Smith is unconstitutional," Cruz posted.

"President Trump rightly said that he is willing to go to jail to stand for the First Amendment," he noted.

The attacks against Trump are unprecedented for a former president. Regardless, he continues to pursue a second term in office in 2024.

So far, the legal battles have not stopped his momentum as he seeks to win a rematch against President Joe Biden next year in a return to the White House.