Special Counsel Jack Smith isn't having much luck with his classified documents case against former President Donald Trump. 

His desperation is showing, especially in the wake of Judge Aileen Cannon delaying the trial, which was supposed to start this month, "indefintely."

According to Fox News, Smith recently asked the judge for a gag order on the former president in the wake of Trump bringing attention to language in the Mar-a-Lago raid that indicated federal agents were authorized to use "deadly force."

Trump, in an email, told his supporters that federal agents were "locked & loaded" during the raid. That sentence triggered Smith, who said such language endangers law enforcement officers, hence the request for the gag order.

What's happening?

Smith filed the request for the gag order this week, noting in the filing why he believes the former president should be silenced.

“The Government moves to modify defendant Donald J. Trump’s conditions of release, to make clear that he may not make statements that pose a significant, imminent, and foreseeable danger to law enforcement agents participating in the investigation and prosecution of this case,” Smith wrote.

Smith added, "The Government’s request is necessary because of several intentionally false and inflammatory statements recently made by Trump that distort the circumstances under which the Federal Bureau of Investigation planned and executed the search warrant at Mar-a-Lago."

Trump not only sent out a campaign email playing off of the situation, but he made a Truth Social post to the same effect.

WOW! I just came out of the Biden Witch Hunt Trial in Manhattan, the ‘Icebox,’ and was shown Reports that Crooked Joe Biden’s DOJ, in their Illegal and UnConstitutional Raid of Mar-a-Lago, AUTHORIZED THE FBI TO USE DEADLY (LETHAL) FORCE," Trump posted on his Truth Social.

He added, "NOW WE KNOW, FOR SURE, THAT JOE BIDEN IS A SERIOUS THREAT TO DEMOCRACY."

Safety concerns

Smith insisted that Trump's language could endanger law enforcement officials, though many believe he's doing anything he can to silence Trump.

They invite the sort of threats and harassment that have occurred when other participants in legal proceedings against Trump have been targeted by his invective," Smith wrote.

He added, "Those risks have the potential to undermine the integrity of the proceedings as well as jeopardize the safety of law enforcement."

As of this writing, it's unclear if Judge Cannon will entertain Smith's request.