The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is pushing for immediate consequences against Donald Trump for violating a gag order through his social media activity. Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy formally requested the judge to impose a $1,000 fine for each post breaching the court order, asked the court to “direct the defendant to take down the offending posts,” and warn Trump of potential jail time for further violations.
The courtroom erupted in laughter as Conroy highlighted that one of the offending posts was made as recently as 9:12 that morning, suggesting it could have been posted within the courthouse itself.
The contentious posts included Trump’s sharing of a New York Post article with a critical headline about a witness in the case. Although the judge did not issue an immediate ruling, the courtroom atmosphere became tense as prosecutors described the language in Trump’s posts.
Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass, who previously led a tax fraud trial against the Trump Organization, hinted at an upcoming request to hold Trump in contempt, citing repeated violations of the court order not to make statements about potential witnesses. Prosecutors pointed to instances where Trump targeted key figures in the case, such as Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen, with disparaging remarks on his social media platform.
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Prosecutors suggested that Trump’s behavior online could undermine his defense strategy and portray witnesses as self-interested. Although the judge did not make immediate rulings on these matters, he indicated that Trump’s public statements could be admissible as evidence during the trial, emphasizing the potential impact on jurors’ perceptions.
The DA’s office aims to demonstrate to the jury how Trump’s public statements have evolved over time, particularly regarding his former legal adviser, Michael Cohen. The judge hinted that Trump’s shifting stance on Cohen could open the door for the jury to consider Trump’s credibility.
