Former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial has been tinged with the heightened drama of a courtroom reality show, as Judge Juan Merchan deliberates whether to hold Trump in contempt for potential violations of a gag order. The order, meant to maintain the integrity of the trial, restricts Trump from commenting on witnesses, jurors, and related court personnel.
The case, which could see Trump penalized for payments made to silence Stormy Daniels over an alleged affair, has already been rife with Trump’s characteristic bravado and media savvy. However, it is this same propensity to speak out that has landed the former president in hot water, with prosecutors accusing him of over a dozen violations of the gag order.
Trump has notably taken to his platform, Truth Social, to air his grievances and commentary about the trial, directly challenging the judge’s mandate. This has included posts thanking Michael Avenatti, attacking former lawyer Michael Cohen as a “disgraced attorney and felon,” and calling potential jurors “undercover liberal activists.”
“Michael Cohen is a convicted liar, and he’s got no credibility whatsoever. He was a lawyer and you rely on your lawyers. But Michael Cohen was a convicted liar. He was a lawyer for many people, not just me. Then he got in trouble because of things outside of what he did for me,” Trump said.
Right after he left the courtroom on Monday, Trump publicly spoke in an attempt to portray Cohen as an unreliable witness.
“And when are they going to look at all the lies and the last trial – he got caught lying in the last trial,” Trump said.
Trump also said Cohen “wasn’t very good in a lot of ways” as an attorney.
It’s not only on social media where Trump’s words have sparked controversy; remarks made to the media and in interviews have also been flagged as potential infractions. During a campaign event, Trump referred to David Pecker, a pivotal witness in the trial and former National Enquirer publisher, as a “nice guy.” Prosecutors argue this and other comments are clear attempts to sway witnesses and the public’s perception of the trial.
“David’s been very nice, a nice guy,” Trump said, when asked by a reporter what he thought about Pecker’s testimony so far.
Relevant articles:
– Trump awaits gag order ruling as hush money trial testimony set to resume: Live , The Independent, 04/30/2024
– The Latest | Hearing on claims of gag order violations in Trump’s hush money trial rescheduled, ABC News, 04/29/2024
– Why Trump’s hush money judge is holding off on a gag order ruling, MSNBC, 04/28/2024
– Donald Trump Demands Gag Order Immediately Be Lifted, Newsweek, 04/29/2024
– Here are all the gag order violations Trump is accused of making, ABC News, 04/29/2024