May 2, 2024,06:00pm EDT
Former President Donald Trump claimed that he cannot testify in his hush money case due to what he called “an unconstitutional gag order” against him. However, this order does not explicitly prevent him from taking the stand.
Trump made the statement after a court session on Thursday, asserting that his legal team would be appealing the gag order imposed by Judge Juan Merchan, whom Trump accused of being “totally conflicted.”
The gag order restricts Trump from making public statements about potential witnesses, jurors, counsel, and others involved in the case that could interfere with the proceedings. However, it does not bar him from testifying, according to multiple reports.
This marks a significant shift for the former president, who previously stated his intention to testify in his trial, emphasizing his commitment to telling the truth and asserting that there is no case against him.
In a post-court statement, Trump expressed frustration with the gag order, particularly highlighting what he sees as a disparity in treatment between himself and others involved in the case.
Earlier this week, Trump was fined $9,000 for violating the gag order nine times, with each violation carrying a $1,000 fine. Judge Merchan warned that continued violations could result in prison time under New York law.
The criminal trial against Trump involves 34 felony counts related to allegations of falsifying business records concerning a hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors argue that Trump mischaracterized payments to his former attorney Michael Cohen as legal fees when they were actually reimbursements for hush money paid to Daniels to silence her about an alleged affair before the 2016 election.
The gag order was initially imposed because of Trump’s social media attacks on individuals connected to the case, including Judge Merchan’s daughter. Merchan expanded the order after just one week to cover family members of the court due to continued attacks from Trump.