Judge Warns Trump Of ‘Incarceratory Punishment’ If Violation Of Gag Order Continues

Former President Trump was warned that he could face “incarceratory punishment” if he continues to carry out “willful violations” of the gag order placed on him in his hush money trial in Manhattan.

Judge Juan Merchan gave the warning on Tuesday after fining the former president $9,000 for violating a gag order that prohibits him from making public statements about witnesses and court officials as well as their family members.

Judge fines Trump thousands over violating gag order, warns 'incarceratory punishment' could be next https://t.co/lryviNBeeU

— Steve Ferguson (@lsferguson) April 30, 2024

Merchan determined that Trump violated the order nine times and fined him $1,000 for each violation. District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his office had laid the gag order violation case against Trump, alleging last week that he had violated the order up to 14 times.

Merchan’s decision on the gag order is not shocking as he railed against Trump’s legal team during a hearing on the gag order last week, saying that the team was “losing all credibility” in its defense of Trump’s social media comments that allegedly violated the order.

The defense team had argued that Trump’s comments that allegedly violated the order had been made in response to attacks on his person.

Merchan, however, pressed Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, who presented the argument, to provide examples showing Trump responding to a specific attack.

“I’ve asked you eight or nine times, ‘Show me the exact post that he was responding to,’ and you haven’t been able to do that once,” Merchan stated.

“I have to tell you right now, you’re losing all credibility in the court,” the judge added.

Trump continues to call the case a “scam” orchestrated by the Biden administration as he has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

“We have a gag order, which to me is totally unconstitutional. I’m not allowed to talk, but people are allowed to talk about me. So, they can talk about me. They can say whatever they want, they can lie, but I’m not allowed to say anything. I just have to sit back and look at why a conflicted judge has ordered me to have [a] gag order,” he said outside the courtroom last week.

“I don’t think anybody’s ever seen anything like this. I’d love to talk to you people. I’d love to say everything that’s on my mind, but I’m restricted because I have a gag order,” he added.