Former White House Counsel Believes Donald Trump Could Go to Jail for Violating Gag Order

A former attorney for the Trump administration has said that the former president "will go to jail" if the investigation into his handling of classified documents continues. Attorney for the White House from 2017 to 2018 Ty Cobb spoke with CNN on the recent story that the National Archives intended to deliver materials to special counsel Jack Smith, demonstrating that Donald Trump and his advisers were aware of the legal declassification process.

Judge Chutkan ordered the gag order earlier this month, which was upheld by a court verdict in Trump's federal lawsuit stemming from attempts to invalidate the 2020 presidential election. Trump is prohibited from speaking negatively about the court, its employees, possible witnesses, or lawyers under this order. Judge Chutkan stated, "As the court has explained, the First Amendment rights of participants in criminal proceedings must yield, when necessary, to the orderly administration of justice—a principle reflected in Supreme Court precedent, the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and the Local Criminal Rules. And contrary to the defendant's argument, the right to a fair trial is not his alone but also belongs to the government and the public."

Cobb said that the former president's public remarks in the federal case might lead to far more serious penalties than the fines awarded against Trump by a New York court for breaching a gag order in the New York lawsuit. Cobb said, "That’s in a civil case. That’s not as consequential as Judge Chutkan’s case. I think she’ll come in with a much heavier penalty, and ultimately, I think he’ll spend a night or a weekend in jail." Cobb once described his prior supervisor as "a deeply wounded narcissist" who is "incapable" of operating in anyone's best interest except his own. In an interview with CBS News Major Garrett, Cobb addressed the issue of Trump's stubborn unwillingness to concede defeat in the 2020 election.

Garrett asked Cobb, "Do you regard that as a defect in his character?" to which he replied, "My personal view is that it's less a character issue than a personality defect. I believe former President Trump to be a deeply wounded narcissist, and he is often incapable of acting other than in his perceived self-interest or for revenge. I think those are the two compelling instincts that guide his actions." In response to Trump's failure to believe the department's and Barr's assurances that the 2020 election was not stolen by significant fraud, Cobb cited the president's "abject narcissism" as the reason. As per Cobb, it "takes particularly strong advisers" to make Trump see what's in his best interest despite his natural inclinations. Cobb concluded, "I think it is so tragic. I criticized the current administration modestly earlier by saying they have no interest in healing—Trump has no interest in healing either. I don't think, sadly, that the future of America is enhanced by either position. I think we're on a downward spiral, and the safety net of leadership that we need is nowhere on the horizon."