Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump sits in the courtroom, as his criminal trial over charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence women about alleged extramarital sexual relations, at Manhattan state court on May 6, 2024. Photo by Brendan McDermid/Pool/Reuters
The judge presiding over former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial has fined him an additional $1,000 for again violating a gag order barring him from making inflammatory comments about witnesses and jurors.
Judge Juan M. Merchan warned on Monday that additional gag order violations could potentially result in jail time.
READ MORE: What to know as Trump’s hush money trial enters a third week
“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. “There are many reasons why incarceration is truly a last resort for me. To take that step would be disruptive to these proceedings.”
Trump sat forward in his seat, glowing at the judge as he handed down the ruling. Once the judge finished speaking, Trump shook his head twice and crossed his arms.
Prosecutors had accused Trump of four violations, but the judge only competed with one.
The judge had previously fined Trump $9,000 for nine earlier violations in posts on Truth Social and his website.
Left:
Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump sits in the courtroom, as his criminal trial over charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence women about alleged extramarital sexual relations, at Manhattan state court on May 6, 2024. Photo by Brendan McDermid/Pool/Reuters
