Trump hush money trial: Former US president fined $9,000 for violating gag order

The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s historic criminal case fined the former United States president $9,000 after holding him in contempt of court for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others related to the ongoing trial.

Trump warned about jail time

The order by Justice Juan Merchan came as the proceedings in the trial resumed in Manhattan criminal court, on Tuesday (Apr 30). Earlier this month, prosecutors had alleged 10 violations of the gag order, but the judge found there were nine.

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Trump, according to the Associated Press, has also been warned by the judge that if he violates the gag order again, he could be jailed.

Also Read |Trump hush money trial: Key witness reveals alleged 'catch and kill' scheme to buy sex stories

In his written order, Merchan said that Trump “is hereby 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 incarceratory punishment.”

He also noted that this fine may not be enough to serve as a deterrent for the former president, and lamented he did not have the authority to impose a higher penalty.

The judge has also ordered Trump to remove seven statements from his Truth Social account and two from his campaign website by 2:15 pm (local time).

Merchan said he would consider whether to impose additional fines at a hearing on Thursday (May 2). The former president has been fined $1,000 for each of nine online statements that the judge said violated the order.

Last month, the judge imposed a gag order on Trump on the prosecutors’ request to block him from speaking about the witnesses.

The order was later expanded to include his own family members and those of the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat who brought the charges against the former president.

Proceedings on Tuesday

The court on Tuesday will reportedly begin with testimony from a banker who is said to be familiar with the former president’s accounts and the alleged scheme to pay hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels and falsifying business records to cover the payments.

Banker Gary Farro, who has not been accused of wrongdoing, reportedlyhelped Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen open accounts, including one that was used to pay hush money to Daniels.

Also Read |Trump’s hush money trial: Violation of gag order can lead to fines, jail time, say New York prosecutors

The charges in the case stem from alleged accounting fraud and falsifying business records to cover up the $130,000 payment to Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

‘TRUMP 24’

Trump is the first former US president to face a criminal trial, which began on April 22 after the selection of the jury. But he is also the presumptive Republican candidate for the upcoming presidential election and campaigning when he is not in court.

On Tuesday morning, around two dozen supporters rallied outside the courthouse chanting and waving banners that read “TRUMP 24,” reported Reuters.

The hush money case is one of the four criminal cases against Trump, but the only one which went to trial and will result in a verdict ahead of the November elections.

(With inputs from agencies)