When President Donald Trump was informed about the gag order keeping him from talking about the federal case involving his 2016 presidential campaign, he was enraged. The President “seethed with anger,” according to a report from the Washington Post, as his campaign staff happily accepted the order.
The case, which is being pursued by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, deals with accusations of conspiracy and links between Trump’s election campaign and Russia. In a cruel twist of fate, Trump himself cannot publicly discuss the court proceedings due to the tightened security protocols.
The gag order was established to preserve substantial government interests, such as protecting the prosecutors from interference, deterring federal officials from trying to influence the outcome, and ensuring a fair process and jury pool during the ongoing investigation.
Trump has long been expectant of the potential conclusions of the federal case, and the gag order was the last straw for him. With the “severity” of the gag order in place, Trump had to rely on his campaign staff to vocally respond to any inquiries and discussions related to the case.
The feelings were not mutual between the President and his campaign staff. Trump reportedly show “discontent” at the fact that his staff was welcoming the gag order, as it meant the Special Counsel investigation could not be publicized or politicized. On the contrary, Trump’s campaign staff saw the gag order as a potential political lifeline, believing it could give them more time to prepare for the case and respond accordingly.
Though the end result of the federal case is still unknown, what is for certain is that President Trump is adamant about wanting to discuss it publicly, while his campaign staff has seen fit to relish the gag order. Only time will tell what conclusions the investigation will bring and how it will all pan out.
