Former US President Donald Trump defied court warnings by resuming his political campaign in the middle of a trial in New York, facing the possibility of prison for violating a judge’s order prohibiting him from making public comments on the case.
For Time
During a break in his trial over allegations he paid to prevent the publication of revelations, Trump planned to address supporters in the battleground states of Wisconsin and Michigan.
However, this move comes one day after Judge Juan M. Merchan found him in contempt and threatened him with imprisonment for violating a gag order. On Tuesday, Trump was fined US$9,000 for making comments on his social network Truth Social and his campaign website about people connected to the case against him.
Judge Merchan was clear in his warning: if Trump continues to ignore his orders, the court will impose a punishment of imprisonment. With this, Trump faces a political and legal situation unprecedented in the history of the United States.
Despite being the virtual presidential candidate of the Republican Party, he is on trial for criminal charges in New York. During his political rallies and on social media, Trump often openly criticizes the judge, prosecutors and witnesses, winning the applause of his followers but risking legal problems.
What was Donald Trump’s reaction to Judge Merchan’s mandate?
The former president insists that he is exercising his right to free expression. However, he was forced to delete comments that violated the judge’s order from both his Truth Social account and his campaign website. Still, Judge Merchan is investigating other allegations that Trump continues to violate the order not to speak about the case.
Trump expressed his frustration at the end of the ninth day of the trial, saying he would rather be campaigning in Georgia and New Hampshire than sitting in a courtroom. “They don’t want me campaigning,” Trump told reporters, according to the AP.
The cases against Trump, in his own words, have been described as “electoral interference,” arguing that they prevent him from carrying out his campaign for the November elections.
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