“I don’t want anybody killed”: Judge reprimands Trump for “dangerous disobeyal” of gag order

Former president Donald Trump may have once again violated a recently imposed limited gag order in his New York civil fraud trial, per a suggestion made by New York Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron, who is overseeing the case. Engoron implied that the ex-president attacked his principal law clerk, Allison R. Greenfield, citing reporting by The Associated Press wherein Trump had stated that the justice was a “very partisan judge with a person who is very partisan sitting alongside him, perhaps even more partisan than he is.”

“It’s easy for the public or anyone to know who that is,” Engoron said. “I’m very protective of my staff, and I believe I should be; I don’t want anybody killed. Why should there not be severe sanctions for this blatant, dangerous disobeyal of a clear court order?”

Trump was fined $5,000 last week after failing to remove an insensitive post referring to Greenfield as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s, D-N.Y., “girlfriend.” Trump removed the post from his TruthSocial platform when asked to, but it remained live on his campaign website for two weeks. “This court is way beyond the warning stage,” Engoron warned while handing down the fine.

MAGA attorney Chris Kise stated that Trump’s remarks were made about his former lawyer and personal fixer Michael Cohen. “My understanding of what was said — I believe what Mr. Trump will tell you — was he was talking to Michael Cohen, his credibility as a witness. … I’ve asked him and that’s exactly what he said,” Kise said. Engoron, however, did not seem entirely convinced, saying that it “seems clear to me” that Trump was referring to Greenfield.