Trump demands judge remove gag order before walking into court

Former US President Donald Trump departs Trump Tower for Manhattan Criminal Court to attend his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs, in New York City on April 19, 2024. (TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)

Former President Trump on Friday demanded that the judge in his hush money payments case remove a gag order that prevents him from speaking publicly about witnesses in the trial.  

"I am not allowed to speak," Trump said in brief remarks before he entered the Manhattan courthouse. He asserted his constitutional rights were stripped away by the judge and that he cannot respond to "lies" told about him in the press during his trial.

"The gag order has to come off. People are allowed to speak about me, and I have a gag order just to show you how much more unfair it is. And the conflict has to end with the judge. The judge has a conflict. The worst I've ever seen," Trump said.

Judge Juan Merchan last month imposed a gag order on Trump, due to his "prior extrajudicial statements." Merchan said they established "a sufficient risk to the administration of justice."

Merchan ordered that Trump cannot make or direct others to make public statements about witnesses concerning their potential participation or about counsel in the case — other than Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg — or about court staff, DA staff or family members of staff.

Merchan also ordered that Trump cannot make or direct others to make public statements about any prospective juror or chosen juror.

Bragg filed a motion Tuesday to hold Trump in contempt of court for allegedly violating the gag order with a series of social media posts relating to two known witnesses in his criminal trial — Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels.

Bragg is urging Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan to also warn Trump that "future violations" of the gag order can be punished "not only with additional fines, but also with a term of incarceration of up to thirty days." 

Bragg is urging Judge Merchan to also warn Trump that "future violations" of the gag order can be punished "not only withadditional fines, but also with a term of incarceration of up to thirty days."