Former President Donald Trump said on Monday that getting thrown behind bars for violating the gag order in his New York hush-money trial would be worth it because “our Constitution is much more important than jail.”
Trump made the comment while taking questions from reporters outside the Manhattan courthouse after the conclusion of another day in his criminal trial. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has already been fined $10,000 for multiple violations of Judge Juan Merchan’s gag order, which prohibits Trump from talking about potential witnesses, jurors, court staff, attorneys, and the judge’s family during the trial. After issuing his latest fine on Monday, Merchan told Trump he would “consider a jail sentence” if the former president violates the gag order again.
“The last thing I want to consider is jail. You are [the] former president and possibly the next president,” Merchan said, according to Fox News.
“The magnitude of that decision is not lost on me,” he added. “Your continued willful violation of the court’s order … constitutes a direct attack … and will not be allowed to continue.”
After court hearings had concluded for the day, Trump discussed the gag order and Merchan’s threat of throwing the former president in jail.
“I have to watch every word I tell you people,” Trump said, pointing at the reporters. “You ask me a question, a simple question, I’d like to give [an answer], but I can’t talk about it. Because this judge is giving me a gag order and said you’ll go to jail if you violate it.”
“And frankly, you know what, our Constitution is much more important than jail,” Trump added. “It’s not even close. I’ll do that sacrifice any day.”
TRUMP: "This judge is giving me a gag order and said you'll go to jail if you violate it. And frankly, you know what, our Constitution is much more important than jail. It's not even close. I'll do that sacrifice any day." pic.twitter.com/qWjo0YBQPZ
— JM Rieger (@RiegerReport) May 6, 2024
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Trump was fined $9,000 by Merchan last week after the judge said the former president spoke about people involved in the trial on nine separate occasions, mostly in posts on his social media platform Truth Social. He was then fined another $1,000 on Monday for another Truth Social post.
The prosecution said on Monday that the hush-money trial could last another two to three weeks, which would force Trump to remain in the Manhattan courtroom for four days a week until the end of May.
“So, we just found out the government just said that they want two to three more weeks. That means they want to keep me off the trail for two to three more weeks,” Trump said. “The judge is so happy about two to three more weeks because they all want to keep me off the campaign trail. That’s all this is about. This is about election interference.”
The Republican presidential candidate is facing 34 felony charges as Democratic Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg alleges that Trump falsified business records to cover up an alleged affair with porn actress Stormy Daniels. Trump denies all of the allegations, arguing that the trial is a political “witch hunt” and “election interference.”