Donald Trump has been fined $9,000 (£7,179) for nine violations of his gag order in his criminal money trial in New York.
Judge Juan Merchan imposed a financial penalty of $1,000 (£799) per violation after prosecutors accused the former president of multiple breaches.
Under the order, Trump is barred from making public statements about jurors, witnesses and others linked to the case.
Despite protecting witnesses and the judge's family, the order does not cover Merchan himself or the district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, who brought the criminal case against the former President.
Donald Trump speaks to members of the media at Manhattan criminal court ahead of his trial
Reuters
Prosecutors claim that the 45th President has violated the order 10 times.
Merchan warned that Trump could be placed in jail if he wilfully breaches court orders again.
Judge Merchan said: “The 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 has also been ordered to remove 7 of the offensive posts from Truth Social, and 2 from his campaign website.
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Former U.S. President Donald Trump walks at Manhattan criminal court
Reuters
After the order was read aloud, the trial resumed with more testimony from a banker who worked with Trump's lawyer, Danny Cohen, on a $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.
Earlier this month, Trump criticised Merchan's daughter Loren online, stating that she is “a Rabid Trump Hater, who has admitted to having conversations with her father about me, and yet he gagged me.”
He also criticised Justice Merchan, condemning him as “totally compromised”.
His comments led to the judge extending the order to include family members of himself and the attorney general.
Defining the order, Merchan said: “This pattern of attacking family members of presiding jurists and attorneys assigned to his cases serves no legitimate purpose.”
The former President has been accused of paying money for porn star Stormy DanielsReuters“It merely injects fear in those assigned or called to participate in the proceedings that not only they, but their family members as well, are ‘fair game’, for Defendant’s vitriol.”
His lawyers have fought the order, reasoning that Trump was engaging in a political campaign speech.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen's $130,000 payment to silence adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election about a sexual encounter she says they had a decade earlier, an encounter Trump denies.
Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche said it was unfair for Trump to stand trial while he runs for President.
He said: “He shouldn't have to sit for a trial now because (prosecutors) chose to bring this case a year ago and not three years ago.”
