Former U.S. President Donald Trump has been fined $5,000 by a New York judge for violating a gag order that prohibited him from disparaging court staff during his ongoing civil fraud trial. The judge, Justice Arthur Engoron, cautioned that further transgressions would result in more severe sanctions, potentially including imprisonment. The violation was in relation to a social media post shared by Trump on his Truth Social platform, in which he attacked the judge's clerk. Despite being deleted from the platform, the post remained visible on Trump's 2024 campaign website for two weeks after an order was issued to have it taken down.

Justice Engoron acknowledged that the violation appeared to be unintentional, but emphasized that any future violations, whether deliberate or not, would be met with harsher penalties. The sanctions could involve higher fines and even the possibility of imprisonment.

The civil fraud trial, brought by New York state Attorney General Letitia James, accuses Trump of unlawfully inflating his net worth to deceive lenders. Trump, who is currently the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in the upcoming U.S. election against Democratic President Joe Biden, maintains a significant lead in the polls despite the mounting legal challenges and restrictions placed upon his public statements.

The gag order was initially imposed on October 3, after Trump shared a social media post featuring a photo of the judge's top clerk alongside U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a known critic of the former president. Trump referred to her as the senator's "girlfriend." Justice Engoron stressed that any comments directed at court staff were unacceptable and would not be tolerated.

Throughout the trial, Trump has made inflammatory remarks directed at both Attorney General James and Justice Engoron, often speaking to reporters outside the courtroom. The lawsuit accuses Trump of manipulating asset values to mislead lenders and insurance providers, ultimately profiting from loans and causing financial harm.

Trump vehemently denies any wrongdoing, portraying the case as politically motivated to harm his reputation. He argues that the banks involved conducted their own due diligence and benefitted from the loans. The trial, now in its third week, has primarily focused on emails and financial documents that provide insight into how Trump's companies valued their properties.

In addition to the civil fraud trial, Trump faces criminal charges in four other cases, including attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, mishandling classified documents after leaving office, and hush money payments to a porn star. Trump has pleaded not guilty in those cases and continues to deny any wrongdoing. He is also scheduled to face a civil damages trial in January relating to defamation accusations made by a writer who accused him of rape, which Trump adamantly denies.

It is worth noting that on October 17, a federal judge in Washington issued an order barring Trump from publicly making statements that target U.S. prosecutors, court staff, and potential witnesses involved in the federal case against him. Trump is currently appealing that order.