Former President Donald Trump has been fined by New York Judge Juan Merchan for repeatedly violating a gag order in the hush money trial. Trump must remove certain posts from his Truth Social platform and campaign website by a specified time and pay a $9,000 fine by the end of the week. Merchan warned of potential incarceration if Trump continues to willfully violate the gag order.
Merchan found that Trump had violated the gag order nine times by criticizing expected trial witnesses in social media posts and on his campaign page. Prosecutors had requested that Trump be held in contempt for violating the order in 10 posts that mentioned witnesses and jurors. The judge specifically mentioned Trump’s comments about Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, and the jury pool as examples of violations.
During a heated hearing last week, prosecutors presented additional comments made by Trump since the initial hearing, leading to further scrutiny of his actions. Merchan has scheduled another hearing to address these additional comments. The maximum fine allowed by New York State law for each violation is $1,000, and this is the first sanction against Trump for violating the gag order in this case.
Despite the ruling against him, Trump did not visibly react as the judge delivered the decision in court. Merchan warned Trump that continued willful violations of the gag order could result in incarceration. The judge emphasized the importance of complying with lawful orders and stated his willingness to impose appropriate punishments if necessary.
Prosecutors flagged Trump’s comments about Michael Cohen and former AMI chief David Pecker, who testified in the trial. Merchan’s ruling includes the removal of certain posts from Trump’s social media platforms and campaign website. The judge’s decision serves as a reminder that all parties involved in legal proceedings must adhere to court orders and restrictions to prevent any disruptions or interference during the trial process.
