On May 2, a Manhattan criminal court fined former US President Donald Trump $9,000 for nine social media posts that violated a gag order and were in contempt of court. The judge issued a warning to Trump, stating that he could face jail time if he repeated such violations.
The trial in question, which began on April 15 in the Manhattan criminal court, pertains to alleged cash payments made by Trump to porn actress Stormy Daniels in order to keep her silent about their extramarital affair. This marks the first criminal trial in US history against a former president, and it comes at a time when Trump is actively participating in the presidential election campaign. Despite his efforts to postpone the trial, Trump’s request was denied. In addition to the charges related to the Stormy Daniels case, Trump also faces criminal charges for his role in the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021 by his supporters. These proceedings have yet to begin.
Trump has claimed that these charges are part of a Democratic effort to remove him from the election, but the US Constitution does not explicitly forbid a convicted individual from running for president unless they participated in a rebellion. In the cases related to the events of January 6, however, such charges may be brought against him.