Trump gets win as hush money judge relaxes gag order

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 19: Former US President Donald Trump sits in a Manhattan Criminal Court for his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments on April 19, 2024 in New York City. Former President Donald Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first of his criminal cases to go to trial. (Photo by Curtis Means - Pool/Getty Images)

The judge overseeing former President Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial loosened his gag order Tuesday, according to a new report.

Justice Juan Merchan's new ruling allows Trump to publicly discuss witnesses in the historic New York City trial that concluded with the first ever criminal conviction of a former U.S. president, according to Reuters.

Trump is still barred from discussing prosecutors and other involved in the case, according to the report.

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Trump's lawyers challenged the gag order, arguing it stifled the presumptive Republican nominee's campaign speech.

The ruling comes two days before Trump is expected to debate President Joe Biden.

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Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office reportedly agreed Trump could speak about witnesses — who included former fixer Michael Cohen and adult film star Stormy Daniels — but argued he still needed to be restrained from attacking jurors and court staff.

Trump is expected to face sentencing on July 11 on 34 counts that he falsified business records to conceal hush money payments to Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.