Donald Trump's 'Witness Tampering' Could Land Him in Hot Water

Some social media users have suggested that former President Donald Trump engaged in "witness tampering" in a post on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday that could pose problems for him in an ongoing legal case.

Trump made two posts on Truth Social about his former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows following a report from ABC News that Meadows has been granted immunity by Special Counsel Jack Smith.

Meadows told investigators that he warned Trump that claims the 2020 presidential election was rigged were baseless, ABC News reported citing sources familiar with the matter.

However, Meadows' attorney George Terwilliger has cast doubt on that report.

"I told ABC that their story was largely inaccurate. People will have to judge for themselves the decision to run it anyway," Terwilliger said, according to CBS News Senior Investigative Correspondent Catherine Herridge who posted the comment on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday.

Trump's Truth Social Posts

"I don't think Mark Meadows would lie about the Rigged and Stollen [sic] 2020 Presidential Election merely for getting IMMUNITY against Prosecution (PERSECUTION!) by Deranged Prosecutor, Jack Smith," Trump wrote on Tuesday.

"BUT, when you really think about it, after being hounded like a dog for three years, told you'll be going to jail for the rest of your life, your money and your family will be forever gone, and we're not at all interested in exposing those that did the RIGGING — If you say BAD THINGS about that terrible "MONSTER," DONALD J. TRUMP, we won't put you in prison, you can keep your family and your wealth, and, perhaps, if you can make up some really horrible "STUFF" a[b]out him, we may very well erect a statue of you in the middle of our decaying and now very violent Capital, Washington, D.C," he wrote.

"Some people would make that deal, but they are weaklings and cowards, and so bad for the future [of] our Failing Nation. I don't think that Mark Meadows is one of them, but who really knows? MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!" Trump wrote.

In a subsequent post, Trump said that Meadows "NEVER told me that allegations of significant fraud (about the RIGGED Election!) were baseless."

Newsweek has reached out to former President Trump's team, and Mark Meadows' attorney via email for comment. Smith's office declined to comment.

'Witness Tampering'

Attorney and former Republican Ron Filipkowski shared a screenshot of Trump's post to X, writing: "Trump is now witness tampering Mark Meadows."

"I've been involved in hundreds of witness tampering cases," Filipkowksi said in a subsequent post. "I've seen many people go to prison for less than the post Trump just made to Mark Meadows."

"An absolutely clear and blatant violation of his pretrial release conditions and the government should file motion to revoke it," he said.

Filipkowski added: "If Trump isn't severely punished or has his supervised release revoked for his post directed at Mark Meadows, then I will agree with him that we have a two-tiered system of justice. Because any other American would be jailed for it without a doubt."

Attorney Bradley P. Moss also shared a screenshot of Trump's post to X on Tuesday and wrote: "This might make an appearance in Jack Smith's upcoming filing regarding Trump's requested stay of the gag order pending the DC Circuit appeal."

"I'm not sure how this doesn't qualify as witness tampering," wrote political columnist Michael A. Cohen.

Trump's Gag Order Appeal

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington D.C. temporarily put a stay on a limited gag order on Friday that she had previously imposed on Trump as the former president makes an appeal against it.

The order had prohibited Trump from making certain types of statements about the special counsel's team or potential witnesses, including any comments that directly targeted court personnel, potential witnesses, or the special counsel and his staff.

Trump has appealed the gag order to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals and his attorneys are seeking a longer stay while that appeal is in process.

The judge has given the Department of Justice until Wednesday to respond to Trump's request for a longer hold on the gag order and gave Trump's legal team until the following Saturday to respond.

Trump's posts about Meadows could potentially be cited by the DOJ. The former White House chief of staff has spoken to investigators at least three times in the last year, including once before a grand jury, according to an ABC News report on Tuesday citing sources familiar with the matter.

Meadows also told investigators that Trump was being "dishonest" when he claimed to have won the 2020 election, according to ABC News.

"Obviously we didn't win," Meadows is reported to have told Smith's team, per sources cited by the news network.

Trump was indicted in August in Washington, D.C. and charged with four counts related to alleged attempts to obstruct the 2020 election.

The charges are conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.