Prosecutors say they're concerned Trump's social media invective will intimidate jurors and witnesses in a potential trial

• Prosecutors told a judge they're concerned Trump's rhetoric could intimidate jurors and witnesses.
• The comments came after Trump was arraigned following a 34-count indictment.
• Trump's lawyers pushed back, saying the judge warned all parties not to use inappropriate language.

New York prosecutors told a judge Tuesday that they're deeply concerned about the rhetoric former President Donald Trump has used on social media as he faced a historic and unprecedented indictment from the Manhattan district attorney's office.

NBC News reported that prosecutors pointed to emails and speeches that Trump has directed towards New York City, its court system, and Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg. The former president has repeatedly accused Bragg of bringing a politically motivated case against him, threatened "death and destruction" if he was indicted, and posted — and later deleted — a composite photo showing him holding a baseball bat next to Bragg.

—Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) March 27, 2023

Trump's lawyer, Joe Tacopina, denied that Trump was swinging the bat toward Bragg's head, telling reporters, "That was a picture of him showing off an American-made bat."

NBC News producer Adam Reiss reported that prosecutors said they were worried that Trump's rhetoric could also intimidate jurors and witnesses in a potential trial. The former president was arraigned Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection to a $130,000 hush-money payment to the adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

In a statement of facts accompanying the indictment, the DA's office said Trump "orchestrated a scheme with others to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the Defendant's electoral prospects."

Bragg, appearing at a news conference after the arraignment, said that "is exactly what this case is about: 34 false statements made to cover up other crimes."

"These are felony crimes in New York state no matter who you are," he added. "We cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct."

Trump's lawyers pushed back on prosecutors' statements, saying that New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the proceedings, did not specifically request that Trump not use inflammatory language but that "everybody involved refrain from using language that is inappropriate."

Merchan "did not admonish" Trump, Tacopina said after the proceedings. "That's important."

Trump's team also pointed out that Michael Cohen, Trump's former longtime fixer who is a key witness in the DA's case, has also made public statements that could affect future proceedings. They went on to say that Trump responded forcefully to the allegations against him because he is frustrated and upset about the case, according to NBC News.