Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), the day after he attended part of Donald Trump’s criminal hush-money trial in New York—later doubting jurors’ citizenship and complaining about how the indicted former president is enduring “mental anguish” in the “depressing” courtroom—admitted Tuesday that “one of the reasons” for his appearance and comments was “to overcome this gag order” imposed on Trump.
Tuberville was joined by Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), who criticized Judge Juan Merchan’s daughter—something that the gag order prohibits Trump himself from doing. He is also prohibited from directing others to speak about witnesses and the jury, among others. On Tuesday, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum made similar comments as Vance, and when asked later on CNN if Trump had told him to speak about Merchan’s daughter, he said no.
Tuberville did not return a request for comment to The Daily Beast by the time of publication as to whether Trump had asked him to appear in court and speak to reporters afterward. But what Tuberville did say on Newsmax about Trump was nevertheless revealing.
