Donald Trump prosecutor asks judge to strengthen gag order due to ‘extreme and deliberate provocations’

Prosecutors in Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York City have ashed the judge to tighten his gag order due to his “extreme and deliberate provocations”.

In a court filing on Monday, Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg accused the president of attempting to undermine the trial through his “dangerous, violent, and reprehensible rhetoric”.

He said the former president’s online posts targeting Judge Juan Merchan and his adult daughter were “intended to intimidate witnesses and trial participants alike” and therefore “threaten the integrity of these proceedings”.

In response, lawyers for Mr Trump argued that the current gag order does not apply to Judge Merchan’s family members, and that expanding the order would further violate his right to free speech.

Mr Trump stands accused of falsifying business records in order to conceal his 2016 hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels and other parties.

The trial continues.

This story is breaking and will be updated.