New York Judge Juan Merchan has joined a growing list of judicial colleagues, government officials, and campaign staff who have attempted to control the unpredictable behavior of former President Donald Trump. Late on Monday, Merchan extended a gag order on Trump ahead of his upcoming hush money trial, set to begin in less than two weeks.
This decision follows a series of aggressive social media attacks by Trump against the case, the prosecutors, the legal system, and even the judge’s daughter. Merchan warned that Trump’s behavior posed a threat to all involved in the case and could be seen as an attack on the rule of law itself.
“The threat to the integrity of the judicial proceedings is no longer just a mere possibility or a reasonable likelihood. The threat is very real. Admonitions are not enough, nor is reliance on self-restraint,” Merchan wrote in his order.
The judge’s ruling is the latest in a series of extraordinary developments in Trump’s ongoing assault on the rules and laws that govern all other politicians, business magnates, and Americans. It also encapsulates a perilous national moment, as it arises from one of four criminal trials that the presumptive GOP nominee is facing while running to reclaim the White House.
Despite the expanded gag order, Trump still has room to criticize Merchan, which he did swiftly on Tuesday morning on Truth Social, calling for the judge to recuse himself from the case. Trump is expected to continue his campaign trail in the coming weeks, with stops in Michigan and Wisconsin on Tuesday.
If Trump does not comply with the order, Merchan’s next steps could include fines or, in theory, detention – a concept that strains credulity considering Trump’s status as a former president.
Trump’s goal is clear: to create a circus-like atmosphere around the trial, set to begin on April 15, in an attempt to delegitimize the legal system that seeks to hold him accountable. He has denied any wrongdoing but also seeks to hedge against a possible guilty verdict in a case rooted in allegedly falsified business records regarding a payment to an adult film star in 2016.
Trump’s threats are not simply an academic matter. They pose a genuine security risk, especially considering Trump’s proven ability to incite violence with his rhetoric, as demonstrated during the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
The revised gag order represents the latest clash between Trump’s rhetoric and the rule of law. This conflict will likely become increasingly central to his fate in the coming days.
Meanwhile, shares of Trump’s media company, Trump Media & Technology Group, plummeted on Monday after soaring to improbable heights when it went public last week. The company, which owns Trump’s Truth Social network, disclosed it lost more than $58 million and generated very little revenue in 2023. As a result, Trump’s net worth fell by more than $1 billion on Monday.
However, Trump managed to stave off any action against his property empire by posting a $175 million bond on Monday night. This move comes in response to a massive fraud judgment against him after a civil trial in New York. The state’s appeals court is due to hear Trump’s appeal of a $464 million verdict against him and his adult sons in September.
As Trump’s hush money trial approaches, the focus on the case will intensify, testing Merchan’s willingness to constrain Trump and prevent his courtroom from becoming a political platform for the former president.