Federal judge questions Trump admin's rhetoric on Mangione in apparent violation of court order

A federal judge in New York on Wednesday demanded to know why the Trump administration appeared to violate a court order recently that was intended to keep the administration from influencing Luigi Mangione's murder trial.

Mangione stands accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan in December 2024. He was in Pennsylvania in connection with the attack after a days-long manhunt.

The suspect's legal team said in a filing on Tuesday night that recent comments and social media posts from the Trump administration, including the Justice Department, have jeopardized Mangione's chances of getting a fair trial, according to Reuters.

The filing claimed two Justice Department officials reposted a comment President Donald Trump made to Fox News last week, in which he stated that Mangione "shot someone in the back as clear as you’re looking at me," NBC News reported.

The legal team noted that one of the officials who shared the post was Chad Gilmartin, the deputy director of the department's Office of Public Affairs, who also wrote on the repost that Trump "is absolutely right."

“The statements referenced in the September 23 Letter by two high-ranking staff members of the Department of Justice, including within the Office of Attorney General, appear to be in direct violation of ... the Court’s April 25 Order,” Judge Margaret Garnett wrote in the Wednesday ruling.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday had referred to Mangione as a “left-wing assassin," and White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller on Tuesday said Thompson was killed by an antifascist and celebrated by “communist revolutionaries," the New York Times reported.

Garnett ordered the Justice Department to explain how the apparent violations happened by the end of next week and said further violations could result in fines, contempt of court findings or actions specific to the case.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.