


The New York judge overseeing Donald Trump’s hush-money trial found that the former president violated the trial’s gag order for a tenth time and warned him he could go to jail for future violations.
On Monday, Judge Juan Merchan ordered Trump to pay $1,000 for the latest violation. That’s on top of the $9,000 fine Merchan imposed last week after the former president attacked jurors and the prosecutors’ star witnesses, including ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, on his Truth Social account and campaign website.
The most recent violation involves a comment Trump made about the National Enquirer‘s David Pecker, who testified earlier in the trial. Trump called him a “nice guy.” Trump claims his statement about Pecker does not constitute a violation, according to the judge’s new order.
“Because the offensive statement was made prior to this Court’s Decision of April 30 and because the People are seeking only a monetary fine, the Court will, once again, fine Defendant $1,000,” Merchan wrote in a court filing. “However, because this is now the tenth time that this Court has found Defendant in criminal contempt, spanning three separate motions, it is apparent that monetary fines have not, and will not, suffice to deter Defendant from violating this Court’s lawful orders.”
“Defendant is hereby put on notice that if appropriate and warranted, future violations of its lawful orders will be punishable by incarceration,” Merchan added.
In court, Merchan told Trump that jailing him is a “last resort.”
“Mr. Trump its important you understand the last thing I want to do is put you in jail. You are the former president of the United States and possibly the next president as well,” Merchan said, according to CNN.
The filing said Trump must remove any offending statements from Truth Social and his campaign website by 2:15 p.m. on Monday.
The gag order prevents Trump from verbally attacking witnesses, jurors, prosecutors, court staff, or the judge’s family. However, it doesn’t bar him from insulting Merchan or Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat.
Last year, Bragg indicted Trump of 34 counts related to falsifying business documents as part of an alleged hush-money scheme to silence porn actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election. Daniels claims to have had an affair with Trump while his wife, Melania, was pregnant with their son, Barron, who is now 18.