. . .  prosecutors last week brought up the issue of Mr. Trump’s habit of making menacing social media posts. They drew the judge’s attention specifically to a vague but threatening message that Mr. Trump had written just one day after he was arraigned in the case.                                  {“If you go after me, I’m coming after you!” —} https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/11/us/politics/trump-judge-protective-order.html?campaign_id=60&emc=edit_na_20230811&instance_id=0&nl=breaking-news&ref=cta&regi_id=58015410&segment_id=141770&user_id=c0905f751b354fe438caeb62c91726b3

Judge Tanya S. Chutkan seriously disarmed Donald Trump with her protective order and rules for commenting on the trial in progress, which she explained on Friday.  He is not allowed to comment on evidence disclosed or to make threats, veiled or not, in his public speech.

For someone who mistrusts the media, the ex-President has always used it to spin the narrative of the accusations against him.  In issuing the protective order the judge has compromised his most potent skill.

“They want to take away my freedom because I will never let them take away your freedom,”

“Essentially, I’m being indicted for you.”

“I am your retribution.”

“I am being arrested for you.”

Within a single week, the ex-President had spun his story as an atonement narrative.  These fantasies could poison the jury pool, so the judge was within her rights to curb Mr. Trump’s language.  Whether his lawyers can curb his relentless commentary remains to be seen.

With a history of impeachments and other indictments, Mr. Trump has never been required to avoid the political play-by-play during his trials. Before the protective order he fumed about the timing of the prosecution:

“Why didn’t they bring this ridiculous case 2.5 years ago? They wanted it right in the middle of my campaign, that’s why!” Trump said in a post on his social media site, Truth Social.And, waxing historical, Mr. Trump made a somber prediction. Is this going to be the future of elections in America?” Can a president order his Department of Justice to indict an opponent just prior to an election? [https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trumps-complaints-future-us-elections-turn-ironic-rcna98753]

Undermining the public’s faith in the prominent sources of news has been Trump’s bread-and-butter since the 2016 campaign.  He has become the mouthpiece of authoritative news for a large following. Without his commentary on the progress of his insurrection trial, who will his followers look to for official wisdom.