In a recent development, the gag order placed on former President Donald Trump during his civil fraud trial has been reinstated. The order, initially issued by New York Judge Arthur Engoron, prohibits both parties from commenting on Engoron's staff. Associate Justice David Friedman had temporarily lifted the gag order earlier this month while considering an appeal from Trump's legal team.

The decision to reinstate the gag order came after court filings revealed that Engoron's legal clerk had been subjected to numerous calls, social media messages, and emails. Engoron himself has reported receiving hundreds of threats, including threatening calls, letters, and packages aimed at his chambers. The judge argued that the order was necessary to protect his staff.

However, Trump's lawyers have strongly contended the constitutionality of the gag order. They have argued that it infringes upon their client's right to freedom of speech. Despite their arguments, Trump has already been fined twice for violating the order.

The first violation occurred when a post about the judge's clerk was made on Truth Social - a platform associated with Trump - and remained on the Trump campaign website. This resulted in a fine of $5,000. The second violation occurred when Trump made comments to reporters outside the courtroom, claiming both the judge and someone "alongside him" were partisan. Engoron interpreted this as a reference to his law clerk. As a consequence, Trump was fined $10,000 and called to the witness stand.

During a court hearing several weeks ago, Engoron expressed his determination to protect his staff and warned of future "severe sanctions" for any further violations of the gag order. As a result, the gag order has been officially reinstated, making it clear that any comment on Engoron's staff from either party will result in consequences.

The issue of the gag order raises important questions about the balance between safeguarding judicial proceedings and protecting the right to free speech. The ongoing legal battle surrounding the gag order highlights the tensions between Trump's legal team and the court, and it will be interesting to see how these arguments unfold in the coming days.

As of now, it remains to be seen whether Trump's legal team will continue to challenge the constitutionality of the gag order or if they will heed the warnings from the court to avoid further violations. The fines imposed on Trump for his past violations serve as a reminder of the strict consequences for non-compliance with the order.