In a significant development in the hush money trial involving former President Donald Trump, Judge Juan M. Merchan clarified that the gag order placed on Trump does not prohibit him from testifying on his own behalf. The clarification came in response to comments made by Trump himself after court on Thursday.

During the trial proceedings on Friday in New York, Judge Merchan addressed Trump and his lawyers, stating that the order restricting extrajudicial statements does not prevent Trump from testifying in any way. He emphasized that the gag order does not impose any limitations on what Trump can say while testifying on the witness stand. This statement serves to clarify any misunderstandings that may have arisen regarding the order.

The judge's comments came after Trump's statement to reporters that he was "not allowed to testify" due to the gag order, contradicting his earlier vow to take the witness stand. However, Judge Merchan's clarification upholds the constitutional right of criminal defendants to testify and protects them from self-incrimination.

In an effort to further clarify his previous remarks, Trump expressed before entering court on Friday that the gag order does not prevent him from testifying in the case. Instead, it restricts him from talking about specific individuals and responding to their comments about him.

The gag order, which prohibits Trump from publicly commenting about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff, and jurors, does not apply to Judge Merchan or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. This order came into focus as Trump briefly returned to the campaign trail earlier in the week, where he referred to Judge Merchan as "crooked" and criticized the charges against him.

Trump's allegations that the cases against him are politically motivated and aimed at undermining his 2024 presidential campaign have been a recurring theme. He has maintained that his public statements are exercises of his free speech rights. However, the judge has previously deemed Trump's remarks as "threatening, inflammatory, denigrating" and the basis for the need of the gag order.

The prosecutors in the hush money trial seek to establish a direct connection between Trump and the payments made to silence women with damaging claims before the 2016 presidential election. Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying internal Trump Organization records. He denies any wrongdoing, with the charges revolving around invoices and checks that prosecutors claim were falsely classified as legal expenses.

Judge Merchan has warned Trump that further violations of the gag order could result in incarceratory penalties. The initial implementation of the gag order in March stemmed from Trump's history of making inflammatory remarks about individuals involved in his legal cases.

As the trial proceeds, the focus will now shift to whether Trump will exercise his right to testify in his defense, potentially shedding further light on the allegations and charges against him.