Donald Trump: Judge issues gag order on former president in NY fraud case

The judge overseeing the civil fraud case against former President Donald Trump has issued a limited gag order. This comes after Trump made negative comments about a court clerk on his social media platform, Truth Social.

In a recent post, Trump criticized Judge Arthur Engoron's clerk, leading to the judge warning of "serious sanctions" if such actions continued. The gag order specifically focuses on preventing public comments against members of the court staff.

Trump had previously launched personal attacks on the judge, calling him "deranged" and a "rogue adjudicator." However, the judge's order on Tuesday is narrowly tailored to address comments about court staff.

The incident prompting the gag order involved a social media post by Trump, where he shared a picture of principal clerk Allison Greenfield with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer at a campaign event. Trump referred to Greenfield as "Schumer's girlfriend" and asserted that the case against him should be dismissed.

During a court break, Judge Engoron, without naming anyone, referred to the social media incident. He stated that a defendant had posted a "disparaging, untrue, and personally identifying post about a member of my staff." The judge emphasized that personal attacks on court staff members are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

The judge's statement serves as a gag order, prohibiting any posts, emails, or public remarks about court staff members. Following the judge's order, the post on Trump's Truth Social platform was removed.

Trump has consistently labeled the trial as a "fraud" and a "scam." He has expressed his intention to testify in his defense, stating, "Yes, I will. At the appropriate time, I will be."

In this case, Trump, his two adult sons, and the Trump Organization are accused of significantly inflating property values by over $2 billion to secure favorable loans. Attorney General Letitia James seeks $250 million and sanctions that could restrict the Trump family from conducting business in New York.

It's important to note that if convicted, none of the defendants will face jail time, as this is a civil case, not a criminal one. The trial is a bench trial, meaning that Judge Engoron alone will make the final decision on liability, damages, and penalties, without a jury involved.