New York Judge Juan Merchan has fined former President Donald Trump for repeatedly violating the gag order in the hush money trial. Trump must also remove the seven “offending posts” from Truth Social and the two “offending posts” from his campaign website by 2:15 p.m. ET Tuesday. Merchan ruled Trump violated the gag order nine times for criticizing expected trial witnesses in posts on social media and his campaign page. Trump must pay the $9,000 fine by the end of the week. Merchan also threatened incarceration if Trump willfully violates the gag order again, writing in his ruling, “THEREFORE, Defendant 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.” Trump did not visibly react as the judge was reading his decision in court. This story is breaking and will be updated.
