In a recent development, former President Donald Trump has been fined $9,000 by Judge Merchan for nine violations of the gag order in his New York hush money trial. This ruling comes as Trump falsely claimed he was prohibited from attending his son Barron's high school graduation, but the judge has now granted him permission to attend the event next month.

The gag order imposed by Judge Merchan prohibits Trump from making public statements about potential witnesses, jurors, attorneys, or court staff. Prosecutors argued that Trump violated the order through a series of posts on his social media platform, Truth Social, where he discussed witnesses and potential jurors.

Although violations of the gag order can be punishable by up to 30 days in state prison under New York law, prosecutors did not seek jail time for Trump. Instead, the judge imposed a fine, stating that the former president's actions warranted a financial penalty. Trump has been a vocal critic of the gag order, claiming that it infringes upon his right to free speech.

The New York trial involves 34 felony counts against Trump. Prosecutors allege that he falsified business records related to hush money payments made to former adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election campaign. According to the prosecution, Trump's former fixer, Michael Cohen, paid $130,000 to Daniels in order to prevent the alleged affair from becoming public. Trump later labeled his reimbursements to Cohen as payments for legal services, which is part of the alleged scheme to violate election laws.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges and his legal team maintains that the payments were personal expenses. The trial has been closely watched as it revolves around the events leading up to the consequential 2016 presidential election. Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, Trump will now have the opportunity to attend his son's high school graduation, thanks to the judge's ruling.

As the trial continues, the outcome remains uncertain. Supporters and critics alike eagerly await the resolution of the case, as it holds significant implications for Trump's political future.