'Weaklings:' Donald Trump targets Mark Meadows over report that he will flip on him

WASHINGTON - Former President Donald Trump targeted Mark Meadows on Wednesday, suggesting that his ex-chief of staff would be a weakling and a coward if he testifies against him.

In a pair of Truth Social posts, Trump said he doesn't believe Meadows would turn on him, but noted that his former chief of staff has been threatened with prosecution and might be tempted by an immunity agreement.

"Some people would make that deal, but they are weaklings and cowards, and so bad for the future our Failing Nation," Trump said. "I don’t think that Mark Meadows is one of them, but who really knows?"

Trump s facing pressure to be careful with what he says about Meadows, or any other potential witness in the 2020 election case against him.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan hit the former president with a partial gag order that prohibits him from attacking witnesses, prosecutors and court personnel.

Trump sought to undermine Meadows a day after a news report that he is talking to Special Counsel Jack Smith's office in the federal case charging the former president with trying to steal the 2020 election.

ABC News said Meadows has told Smith and his prosecutors that "he repeatedly told Trump in the weeks after the 2020 presidential election that the allegations of significant voting fraud coming to them were baseless, a striking break from Trump's prolific rhetoric regarding the election."

A federal indictment essentially charges Trump with trying to steal the 2020 election from President Joe Biden, including with claims of voter fraud that he knew to be false.

In his Truth Social posts, Trump denied Meadows' reported assertions, and pointed out that Meadows defended Trump's election complaints in his book.

"Mark Meadows NEVER told me that allegations of significant fraud (about the RIGGED Election!) were baseless," Trump claimed. "He certainly didn’t say that in his book!"

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump targets Mark Meadows over reports that he will flip