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The team of former President Donald Trump is awaiting word on whether he will be found in contempt for breaking his gag order. Judge Juan Merchan imposed a limited gag order just before Trump’s hush money trial started, which forbids him from discussing prospective witnesses, jurors, attorneys, court employees, and their families in public. Trump is still permitted to talk about Merchan and District Attorney Alvin Bragg, but he is not permitted to discuss their families. Initially, the accusations were restricted to his remarks on social media and his campaign website, per ABC News. But the most recent accusations, which were filed on April 25, focus on remarks made by Trump during interviews or live speeches, some of which were given in the corridor just outside the courthouse. Here’s a list of these violations:
In a post on TruthSocial on April 10, Trump expressed gratitude to convicted lawyer Michael Avenatti for opposing Trump’s gag order by criticizing prospective witnesses Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen, his former attorney. In his reply, Trump disparaged two important witnesses in the case, saying, « Thank you to Michael Avenatti for revealing the truth about two sleaze bags who have, with their lies and misrepresentations, cost our Country dearly. » Avenatti had initially posted, « We can’t be hypocrites when it comes to the 1st Amendment. It is outrageous that Cohen and Daniels can do countless TV interviews, post on social, & make $$ on bogus documentaries – all by talking shit about Trump – but he’s gagged and threatened with jail if he responds. »
On April 10, Trump published a photograph of a declaration signed by Stormi Daniels from 2018, in which she denied ever having an affair with him on TruthSocial. « LOOK WHAT WAS JUST FOUND! WILL THE FAKE NEWS REPORT IT? » Trump wrote. Trump claimed that the statement had been « just found, » but in reality, it was made public in January 2018 and at the time, it was extensively covered by the media. Later on, Daniels took back her testimony, claiming that a nondisclosure agreement had forced her to sign it.
In a post on TruthSocial on April 13, Trump attacked his former attorney and the federal prosecutor who oversaw the Trump probe, Mark Pomerantz.
