Prosecutors made the unusual decision this week to remain almost entirely mum about the order in which they planned to call their first witnesses in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York.

Joshua Steinglass, a prosecutor working on behalf of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, said Friday evening he would let Trump’s attorneys know the name of their first witness on Sunday night, the day before opening arguments in the case are set to begin, according to a report from the courtroom. Trump’s defense team had asked for the names of the first three witnesses that prosecutors would call.

“Mr. Trump has been tweeting about the witnesses," Steinglass told Judge Juan Merchan. "We’re not telling them who the witnesses are.”

Blanche then asked Merchan if he could have the information if he promised Trump would not post on social media about the witnesses, to which Merchan replied that he did not believe Blanche could make such a vow.

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    5729 days ago

    The real solution would be for the judge to issue a gag order that would automatically result in Trump being thrown in Riker’s if he violates it. He has had more than enough unenforced warnings across his trials that immediate contempt of court and incarceration would be reasonable in a just world.

    Unfortunately we live in this one where he will only get a limited amount of time to intimidate witnesses.