The judicial sitting of Donald Trump’s hush money trial resulted in a $1,000 fine for his breach of a gag order, accompanied by a stern warning of potential jail time for further infractions.
This marks Trump’s second fine for making inflammatory remarks during the trial.
Judge Juan M. Merchan emphasized on Monday that additional violations could lead to imprisonment, although he stated that this was a last resort.
In the trial, prosecutors are delving into Trump’s inner circle, with testimony from Hope Hicks, a former top aide, providing insight into critical moments during the 2016 campaign.
Hicks recounted the fallout from the release of a damaging recording in which Trump discussed inappropriate behavior towards women.
The trial, now in its third week, is progressing towards testimony from Michael Cohen, Trump’s ex-lawyer and fixer.
Trump faces charges of falsifying business records related to payments aimed at suppressing negative stories. He denies any wrongdoing.
The defense has sought to challenge the prosecution’s narrative and the credibility of witnesses, suggesting Trump may have been a victim of extortion.
This trial is one of several legal challenges Trump faces, including allegations of election interference and mishandling classified documents.
