The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial on Tuesday imposed a gag order – promising sanctions for any violations – on the former U.S. president and others in the case after Trump took to social media to lash out at the judge’s top law clerk.
Justice Arthur Engoron of the New York state court in Manhattan told lawyers for Trump and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought the fraud case, that such comments aimed at his staff were “unacceptable, inappropriate and will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”
Acting during the trial’s second day of testimony, the judge forbade both sides from speaking about his staff, and threatened “serious sanctions” if anyone did. The judge did not specify the nature of these sanctions but they could include a finding of contempt of court, which can carry fines and in rare cases jail time.
“Consider this statement a gag order,” Engoron added.
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