Former President Donald Trump has deleted several social media posts after they were deemed to violate a gag order related to his ongoing criminal trial concerning alleged hush money payments. This Donald Trump news came shortly before Tuesday’s court-imposed deadline of 2:15 p.m.
Early in the day, Judge Juan Merchan, overseeing the Donald Trump hush money trial, fined Trump $9,000 and charged him for contempt of court, meaning he was cited nine times due to Trump’s social media activity on platforms such as Truth Social and his campaign website. The posts involved critical comments about potential jurors and key witnesses, including Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels.
In his ruling, Judge Merchan emphasized the severity of the situation, warning Trump that further disregard for court orders could lead to jail time. “Defendant is at this moment 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 incarceration punishment,” Merchan stated.
The Donald Trump Truth Social posts primarily consisted of reposts from other figures online, targeting expected trial participants and labeling potential jurors as “liberal activists.” However, Judge Merchan found that one of the reposts, originally by attorney Michael Avenatti, which criticized Daniels and Cohen, did not breach the gag order and was allowed to remain online.
Trump has publicly criticized the expanded gag order, arguing that it overly restricts his ability to communicate about the case. This gag order prohibits him from disparaging witnesses, prosecutors, court staff, and the judge’s family about his trial. The case accuses the former president of making undisclosed payments to a porn actor to silence allegations of an affair before the 2016 election and subsequently recording the expenditure as a legal expense.
As the trial progresses, legal experts and political observers closely monitor the proceedings, given their unprecedented nature and potential implications. The courtroom has seen intense legal arguments and high public interest, underscoring the historical significance of trying a former president in a criminal court. The outcome of this trial could have far-reaching effects on both the legal precedent and the political landscape, highlighting the delicate balance between legal accountability and political consequences in high-profile cases.
The trial, marking the first criminal proceeding against a former U.S. president, resumed on Thursday and is expected to last approximately one month.
