Former US president Donald Trump has been held in contempt of court and fined $9,000 for repeatedly flouting a gag order in his New York hush-money case. According to the Associated Press, New York Judge Juan M. Merchan found Trump guilty of nine out of ten alleged violations. The judge cautioned Trump against further infractions, warning that continued disobedience could result in incarceration.
Trump “is hereby warned that the Court will not tolerate continued willful violations of its lawful orders and that if necessary and appropriate under the circumstances, it will impose an incarceratory punishment,” Merchan wrote, as quoted by AP.
The case, which is currently in its second week of testimony, has garnered significant attention. Prosecutors in Manhattan accuse Trump and his associates of participating in an illicit scheme aimed at swaying the 2016 presidential election by concealing unfavorable news stories, AP's report stated. Trump has maintained his innocence, pleading not guilty to the charges.
As part of the penalty, Trump has been ordered to pay the fine by the end of the week and remove seven offending posts from his Truth Social account and two from his campaign website. Additionally, the court is considering other alleged violations of the gag order, with further proceedings scheduled for Thursday, as per the report.
Prosecutors had stated that Trump’s attacks posed a “threat” to the trial which pertains to a hush-money deal reached in the final days of his 2016 US presidential campaign. In a written order, the judge, Juan M. Merchan, said he was “keenly aware of, and protective of, Defendant’s First Amendment rights” but would not tolerate continued violations, The New York Times reported.
Trump Hush-Money Trial
Meanwhile, the trial has proceeded with testimonies from key witnesses, including Gary Farro, a banker involved in facilitating transactions for Trump's former attorney, Michael Cohen. Cohen, notably, used funds from one of these accounts to silence adult performer Stormy Daniels, who alleged an encounter with Trump.
Trump, who is required to be present in court four days a week, has been vocal in his criticism of the prosecution's case, reiterating his belief that the trial should never have taken place.
Despite the courtroom drama, prosecutors are steadily building their case, presenting evidence of email exchanges, financial transactions, and witness testimonies to support their allegations of Trump's involvement in falsifying business records related to the hush money payments.
The trial is expected to continue for at least another month, with anticipation mounting for Cohen's testimony. Throughout the proceedings, Trump's frustration has been palpable, particularly as the November election looms closer.
In addition to the fine imposed for the gag order violations, the court may also rule on prosecutors' requests for further penalties. David Pecker, a longtime associate of Trump, has testified about arrangements to suppress damaging stories about the former US president.