Former US President Donald Trump, who is facing a criminal trial in New York, was fined $9,000 yesterday (a similar amount in euros) for violating a so-called gag order that prevents him from publicly incriminating witnesses, something the businessman has repeatedly done. On his social network, Truth Social, and on his campaign website, where he insulted witnesses who testified at the trial and discredited jury members for their integrity.
“The defendant is warned that the court will not tolerate willful violations of its legal orders and that it will impose a prison sentence if necessary and appropriate under the circumstances,” wrote Judge Juan Merchan, who is in charge of Trump’s criminal prosecution. Faces in New York.
Trump said this court order violates his rights to freedom of expression. His lawyer, Todd Blanche, told Judge Merchant last week that the statements in question were in response to political attacks. But the judge rejected that because no evidence had been presented that the expected witnesses attacked Trump before he insulted them. As a result of the decision, Trump must remove the seven “offensive posts” from Truth Social and two other posts from his campaign website.
Possible imprisonment
This imprisonment represents an unprecedented turn in the first criminal trial against a former American president. It is not clear whether Trump will be sent to a New York prison that will be zoned to him, which would be Rikers Island, or whether special treatment will be needed for security reasons, such as confinement in Trump's triple tower.
Yesterday began the third week of the trial of the former president and this year's Republican presidential candidate, which continues with the statements of banker Gary Farrow, who was used to pay money to porn actress Stormy Daniels.
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