Donald Trump fined $9,000 after judge finds him in contempt of court for violating gag order in hush money trial
30 April 2024, 14:54 | Updated: 30 April 2024, 15:52
Donald Trump has been found in contempt of court for violating a gag order in his New York hush money case, a judge has ruled.
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The former US president was found to have violated the order by Judge Juan Merchan, who has now said Donald Trump must pay a fine of $9,000 - around £7,100.
The violation concerns the ex-president commenting on witnesses, with Trump seen to frown slightly as the judge's comments were read aloud.
If he does it again, Judge Merchan has warned, he could face a jail term.
Trump must pay the fine by the close of business on Friday, the judge said.
Prosecutors had accused Trump of violating his gag order multiple times, alleging 10 violations of the order.
However, New York Judge Juan M. Merchan found there to be only nine, finining him $1,000 per violation.
The judge also ruled that Trump could still attend his son's graduation, allowing him to skip court on two separate dates: 17 May and 3 June.
The judge's ruling comes as Trump's hush money trial continues into alleged hush money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels following a 2006 affair.
As part of the written ruling, the judge also noted that the former president must remove seven offending posts from his Truth Social account and two from his campaign website.
The deadline given for their removal is 2:15 p.m. EDT (19:15 BST) on Tuesday.
Under the gag order in place, Trump is not allowed to make, or direct others to make, public statements about trial witnesses concerning their roles in the investigation and at trial, prosecutors and members of court staff or the district attorney’s staff.
Trump had long insisted he was simply exercising free speech when he made a series of comments, including two key posts on his social media platform Truth Social.
It comes as Judge Merchan is also weighing other alleged gag order violations by Trump and will hear arguments Thursday.
Merchan wrote 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.”
The judge's ruling comes as Trump appeared in court once again on Tuesday morning, as the trial into alleged hush money paid to Stormy Daniels following a 2006 sexual encounter continues.
The former Republican president continues to deny the claims.
Tuesday saw Gary Farro in the dock - a banker who is alleged to have helped Trump's former attorney, Michael Cohen, open accounts used to pay off former adult film star Stormy Daniels.
The trial concerns one particular payment of a $130,000 (£104,500).
Trump has pleaded not guilty to all 34 counts, as the trial continues in the Manhattan courthouse.
