In a fiery exchange during Donald Trump's hush money trial, the presiding judge, Justice Juan Merchan, sternly addressed the former president's attorney, Todd Blanche, over comments that potentially violated a gag order. The order prohibits public attacks on witnesses and jurors involved in the case. Blanche attempted to defend Trump's remarks about Michael Cohen, his former attorney and a key witness, by attributing them to Cohen's attacks on Trump's credibility. However, the judge quickly shut down these arguments.

Judge Merchan's frustration grew as Blanche claimed that the trial was a politically motivated persecution held in a biased jurisdiction. The judge cut him off, seeking clarification on whether Blanche's statements violated the gag order. Specifically, Trump had stated that the jury was predominantly composed of Democrats and that it had been hastily selected, insinuating that it was unfair.

Prosecutors accused Trump of violating the gag order four additional times within three days of the trial's start, including statements made right outside the courtroom. As a result, he was fined $9,000 for nine previous violations and warned of possible jail time if he continued to breach the order. Prosecutors are now asking the judge to fine Trump $1,000 for each of the four latest alleged violations.

During a nearly nine-minute rant outside the court, Trump criticized Cohen's legal representation and accused him of lying during a separate civil fraud trial. Judge Merchan emphasized that it was Trump who approached reporters during his press conferences, saying, "it wasn't the press who went to him. He went to the press." Blanche conceded, briefly agreeing with the judge's statement.

In an interview with a Pennsylvania TV station, Trump continued his criticism of Cohen, calling him a convicted liar whose credibility had been compromised. Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy argued that the proceedings needed protection during this critical time. Blanche countered that Trump couldn't simply repeat "no comment" constantly, and mentioned provocative social media posts by Cohen, which seemingly invited Trump's response.

Blanche cited various social media posts by Cohen, including one where he warned Trump of withholding money from his commissary and another that depicted Trump as a "Super Victim." Cohen's derogatory label for Trump, "Von ShitzInPantz," was also highlighted, along with his TikTok videos discussing the case and Trump's campaign. Blanche insisted that Cohen didn't require protection under the gag order.

During an interview with a far-right network, Trump claimed that the jury had been quickly selected and comprised mostly of Democrats. These comments came after the judge had already warned Trump about commenting on a juror and making intimidating gestures towards her.

Prosecturs argued that Trump's positive remarks about former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, made right before Pecker resumed his trial testimony, were calculated attempts to influence witnesses. They accused Trump of taking deliberate shots at anyone who might testify against him.

Although the gag order allows criticism of the judge and prosecutors, Trump made sure to avoid violating this restriction at his recent rallies in Wisconsin and Michigan. Instead, he attacked Judge Merchan, calling him "crooked" and "conflicted." Trump also repeated baseless conspiracy theories, falsely claiming that President Joe Biden was somehow involved in his criminal cases.

So far, Trump has been fined a total of $24,000 for violating gag orders in both his criminal case and his civil fraud trial. His attorney, Alina Habba, paid the fines on his behalf. The judge's patience appears to be wearing thin as he aims to maintain the integrity of the trial while enforcing the gag order.