Trump Gag Order Modified Ahead of Debate

During Thursday night's debate, Donald Trump will be allowed to speak his mind about witnesses in his hush-money trial, including Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels. Judge Juan Merchan partially lifted Trump's gag order in the case Tuesday, allowing him to talk about witnesses but not prosecutors, court staffers, or their families, the AP reports. Trump will also be allowed to talk about jurors as long as he doesn't disclose any personally identifying information, reports CNN.

Merchan issued the gag order on March 26, weeks before the trial began, He expanded it to include family members after Trump attacked the judge's daughter for her work as a political consultant to Democratic candidate. Trump, who was held in contempt multiple times during his trial for violating the gag order, will be sentenced on July 11. Manhattan's DA Alvin Bragg's office wants to keep restrictions in place until then. Last week, Bragg's office said a "deluge of threats" had been received. Under the gag order, Trump is still allowed to verbally attack Bragg and Merchan.

Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung slammed the judge for not lifting the entire order Tuesday, calling him "highly conflicted," CNBC reports. The decision, Cheung said, was "unlawful" and "blatantly un-American" because it gags Trump ahead of the debate. (More Donald Trump stories.)