Donald Trump ordered not to send threatening social media messages as bond set at $200,000 in Georgia case

Donald Trump’s bond has been set at $200,000 (£157,000) and he has been ordered not to send threatening social media messages as he awaits trial in Georgia on charges of trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat, according to court papers.

The agreement, signed by Trump’s attorneys and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, bars the former US president from intimidating co-defendants, witnesses or victims in the case.

“The above shall include, but are not limited to, posts on social media or reposts of posts made by another individual on social media,” the order states.

Trump is also prohibited from communicating in any way about the facts of the case with any co-defendant or witness, except through attorneys.

Trump was indicted in the Georgia case last week along with 18 co-defendants, the fourth set of charges against the former president this year.

Among the charges is “solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer” – in other words trying to persuade someone to betray their office.

The 13 counts against Trump also include forgery and racketeering, which is most often used to target members of organised crime groups.

According to Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations (RICO) Act it is a crime to participate in, acquire or maintain control of an “enterprise” through a “pattern of racketeering activity” or to conspire to do so.

The scheme does not need to have been successful for it to be considered criminal.

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Defendants must turn themselves in or face arrest

Ms Willis has set a deadline of noon Friday for Trump and his 18 co-defendants to turn themselves in at the Fulton County Jail to be booked or face arrest.

Prosecutors have proposed the trial start on 4 March 2024, while Trump’s lawyers have asked for it to take place in 2026.

Several of his allies and closest advisors have been charged, including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, Trump’s former lawyer and ex-New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and former justice official Jeffrey Clark.

Trump faces four sets of charges

Trump narrowly lost to Joe Biden in Georgia and his lawyers made false claims of election fraud.

Audio of a call by Trump to Georgia’s secretary of state also emerged in January 2021 in which he suggested election officials could “find” the votes he needed to win.

The former president is already defending several other cases in the year before he hopes to reclaim the presidency.

The most serious allege he plotted to overturn his election loss, leading to the US Capitol riots.

He is also accused of having kept national security documents at his Florida home Mar-a-Lago when he left office.

The former president has denied any wrongdoing.