Former President Donald Trump was accused across social media Friday of violating his gag order while speaking at a news conference about the verdict of his felon trial in Manhattan.
“Donald Trump is attacking Michael Cohen lately. This is a direct violation of his gag order. It’s time to send him to prison,” the liberal newspaper MeidasTouch posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“He was a highly qualified lawyer. Now I’m not allowed to use your call because of the silence,” the former president said in his speech, allegedly referring to Cohen, who served as Trump’s lawyer before becoming a lawyer. Key Witness in Secret Cash Trial. ” But, you know, it’s a sordid one. Everyone knows that. It took me a while to notice, but it was effective, it worked. “
Zac Petkanas, a former adviser to Trump’s 2016 presidential opponent Hillary Clinton, responded to the former president’s comments by writing in X: “A flagrant violation of the gag order. Anyone else would be jailed. Why does Trump get special treatment?”
In an interview with Newsweek on Friday, Cohen said, “Trump’s press conference was nothing short of a wild onslaught of bats*** mangled brain dung. “
Newsweek reached out to Trump’s spokesperson for comment by Newsweek.
Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has been tried in New York on 34 counts of falsifying business records similar to a secret cash payment allegedly made to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg claimed the payment. He intended to save her from speaking publicly about her claims that she is having an affair with the former president. Trump, who has long denounced the lawsuits as a “witch hunt,” said he is not at fault for all the fees in this case and other criminal and civil instances he faces.
On Thursday, a jury returned a guilty verdict on all 34 counts at the end of the trial. After the verdict, the former president criticized the case and New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Mercan, while saying he thought the decision was beautiful. .
In March, Merchan silenced Trump, barring him from making public statements about witnesses, adding Cohen and Daniels, as well as the lawyers and staff involved in the case and their families. However, it was later expanded to include the Merchan and Bragg families after Trump introduced scathing attacks on the judge’s daughter, Loren Merchan, and her ties to the Democratic Party.
Trump was fined a total of $10,000 for 10 separate violations of the gag order, and Merchan threatened jail time if the former president continued to violate the order.
“It turns out that $1,000 fines are not a deterrent. Therefore, in the future, this court will have to impose a prison sentence,” Merchan said earlier this month.
Trump’s statements “threaten to interfere with the fair administration of justice and constitute a direct attack on the rule of law. I cannot allow this to continue,” the ruling adds.
“It’s a shame. This is a rigged trial by an adverse and corrupt judge,” Trump said outside the courtroom after Thursday’s verdict.
Meanwhile, several other X users also accused the former president of violating his gag order in his speech on Friday.
“Trump has just called Judge Merchan a ‘devil,’ and he will receive his sentence. Trump remains silent,” journalist Ahmed Baba wrote.
Morgan J. Freeman, an X user, wrote: “Trump will be arrested without delay at Trump Tower for statements he makes in violation of the gag order.
Trump will be sentenced on July 11, days before the Republican National Convention, at which he is expected to be announced as the party’s nominee for the 2024 presidential election.
The 2024 presidential race is shaping up to be a 2020 rematch between Trump and President Joe Biden, the incumbent Democrat.
Update, 5/31/24, 11:54 a. m. ET: This article has been updated with more information.
Update, 5/31/24, 12:50 p. m. ET: This article has been updated with more information.
Matthew Impelli is a Newsweek founded in New York City. Its aim is to report on social unrest and crime. In January 2023, Matthew traveled to Moscow, Idaho, where he reported on the quadruple murders and arrest of Bryan Kohberger. Matthew joined Newsweek in 2019 after graduating from Syracuse University. He also earned his master’s degree from the University of St. Petersburg. John. John’s in 2021. You can reach Matthew by emailing m. impelli@newsweek. com. Languages: English.
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