On Tuesday, the former president, Donald Trump, was found in contempt of court for repeatedly breaching a gag order. The presiding judge of his ongoing criminal trial cautioned him that continued violation of the court's rules could lead to imprisonment.
The judge delivered his ruling calmly at the start of the day's proceedings, refraining from addressing Trump directly from the bench. Trump listened impassively to the judge's decision, leaving observers uncertain about his reaction to the contempt finding. His legal team requested time to review the written decision before presenting additional arguments.
Merchan determined that Trump had violated a gag order intended to safeguard the safety of individuals associated with the hush money trial and their families. Trump deliberately disregarded the order in his Truth Social posts and campaign materials, according to the judge. Consequently, his actions warranted a contempt finding and a fine of $9,000, equating to $1,000 for each violation.
The judge instructed for the removal of the nine offending posts, and within hours of his decision, they were taken down.
Merchan's cautionary message suggests a scenario even more remarkable than the first trial of a former U.S. president — one where the defendant could potentially be incarcerated before a verdict is reached. It remains uncertain to what extent Merchan is willing to participate in a public standoff with the presumed GOP presidential nominee.
Check in on former President Trump's court precedings below.