The federal judge handling Donald Trump’s classified documents case declined to impose a gag order on the former president Tuesday, ruling that prosecutors did not follow the proper procedures in applying for one. Judge Aileen Cannon wrote in her order that special counsel Jack Smith’s office failed to consult with Trump’s legal team before requesting a gag order, saying “it should go without saying that meaningful conferral is not a perfunctory exercise,” according to CNN. Cannon, who was appointed to the federal bench by Trump himself, denied Smith’s motion “without prejudice,” meaning that prosecutors can try again after meeting with Trump’s lawyers. In a previous filing over the Memorial Day weekend, the former president’s lawyers blasted the gag order request as an “extraordinary, unprecedented, and unconstitutional censorship application,” while calling Smith’s team the “self-appointed Thought Police.” Trump faces 40 felony charges in connection with the case, and could be jailed for up to 20 years if convicted.
