Former US President Donald Trump has been held in contempt of court by Justice Juan Merchan for violating nine out of ten of the terms of a March 26 gag order relating to his ongoing false business records case. The gag order prevents the ex-president from commenting on jurors or potential witnesses related to this case.
The violations stem from posts Trump made on Truth Social and his campaign website, attacking personals like Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen. These posts, quoting and reposting commentaries from conservative commentators, were deemed by the court to violate the gag order.
Trump was represented by lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who argued the premise that retweets are not endorsements, which would justify the repostings. This angle was rebutted by Justice Merchan, concluding that the republished articles were not only an attempt to grow viewership, but also a way for Trump to indicate his endorsement of the views presented in the articles.
As a consequence of the contempt of court, Trump was fined $1,000 for each violation, amounting to a $9,000 fine in total. As described in Judiciary Law § 751, Justice Merchan expressed regret that the penalties outlined in the law fall short, particularly in the case of individuals of significant wealth. The judge warned that should further violations occur, the court may resort to incarceration.
Trump already has another contempt hearing scheduled. Meanwhile, the posts in question remain live on his platform.
This case highlights the ongoing legal battles faced by the former US president and the potential challenges in enforcing legal limitations on those of considerable wealth.