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Judge Merchan Slaps Trump With Short Ultimatum, Gives Him Until Monday 2:15 PM to Do The Following
Judge Juan Merchan has given former President Donald Trump a short ultimatum regarding statements made in violation of a court gag order.
On Monday, May 6, 2024, Justice Merchan ordered that by 2:15 PM today, (May 6, 2024), Trump must remove any offending statements from his Truth Social account and official campaign website.
As seen in this court document, the order comes after Trump was fined $1,000 for violating the court’s previous gag order prohibiting him from making certain statements related to his ongoing criminal case.
Justice Merchan stated that failure to comply with today’s 2:15 PM deadline for removing the statements could result in more severe consequences, including potential incarceration.
“Defendant is hereby put on notice that if appropriate and warranted, future violations of its lawful orders will be punishable by incarceration,” Merchan warned in his order.
Trump has been given until the end of the week, close of business on Friday, May 10, 2024, to pay the $1,000 fine levied against him.
The ruling represents an escalation of tensions between Trump’s legal team and the Manhattan District Attorney’s office prosecuting the case against the former president.
Trump has repeatedly accused prosecutors of waging a politically-motivated “witch hunt” against him.
However, Merchan made clear in his order that the gag rules apply equally to all parties and that Trump will be held accountable for any violations going forward.
“The foregoing constitutes the Decision and Order of the Court,” Merchan stated definitively.
Legal experts say judges overseeing high-profile cases often implement gag orders to prevent pre-trial publicity that could taint the jury pool.
Trump’s tendency to make provocative statements about ongoing cases has frequently put him at odds with such orders in the past.
With the clock now ticking for Trump to scrub his Truth Social and campaign website of offending statements by 2:15 PM, all eyes will be on whether he complies or risks potential incarceration down the line.
The ultimatum represents a critical test for the court’s authority over a former president already facing numerous legal battles.
