Justice Merchan has found that Trump willfully violated the court’s gag order in 9 of the 10 contempt charges leveled against him by prosecutors.
He imposed a financial penalty of $1,000 (£799) per violation, for a total of $9,000.
At the bench, Justice Merchan kept his decision curt and brief. But his actual order, handed down just now, contains a serious warning.
“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.”
In other words, of Trump continues to flout the court’s prohibitions on attacking witnesses, potential witnesses, jurors, and court staff, he could face time in jail.
Justice Merchan has essentially given prosecutors everything they’ve asked for: Trump is even ordered to remove 7 of the offending posts from Truth Social, and 2 from his campaign website.
