Former President Donald Trump faces potential jail time for violating a gag order in his unprecedented criminal trial, despite his claims of political interference and a "hoax."
Former President Donald Trump's criminal trial resumed Thursday morning with a hearing to consider remaining alleged gag order violations, after he was fined $9,000 and threatened with jail time. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and prosecutors alleged that Trump violated the gag order 14 times.
Judge Juan Merchan held a hearing on Tuesday, finding that Trump had violated the order nine separate times, resulting in a $1,000 fine for each violation. The judge stated that if Trump continued to "willfully violate" the gag order, he could face "incarceratory punishment" if necessary.
During a hearing on the gag order last week, Merchan expressed frustration with Trump's defense team, accusing them of "losing all credibility" and failing to provide specific examples of attacks made against Trump that justified his responses on social media.
Trump responded to the ruling on social media, claiming that Merchan had "taken away [his] Constitutional Right to FREE SPEECH." He also called the judge "conflict[ed]" and accused him of "rigging" the 2024 election.
On Tuesday morning, Trump reiterated his call for Merchan to recuse himself from the case, labeling it a "hoax" and accusing the judge of being "conflict[ed] – badly, badly, badly conflict[ed]."
In Merchan's ruling, he expressed regret at not being able to fine Trump more than $1,000 per violation, stating that it would be "preferable" if the court could impose fines "commensurate with the wealth of the contemnor."
Meanwhile, at 10 a.m., Merchan resumed witness testimony, calling former American Media Inc. CEO David Pecker, former Trump Organization assistant and senior VP Rhona Graff, former First Republic Bank senior managing director Gary Farro, and former lawyer for Stormy Daniels Dylan Howard to the stand.
Trump has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in relation to alleged payments made to silence adult film actress Stormy Daniels about an alleged extramarital affair with Trump before the 2016 election.
Prosecutors aim to prove that not only did Trump falsify business records related to hush money payments but also that he did so in furtherance of another crime: conspiracy to promote or prevent election.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges, denying any wrongdoing and claiming the trial is politically motivated.
