In a new twist to former President Donald Trump's ongoing New York criminal trial, legal analysts have raised concerns that Trump may have broken his court-ordered gag order by allegedly communicating with his political supporters. Media reports suggest that Trump wrote notes for his supporters to deliver statements outside the courtroom, potentially bypassing the restrictions imposed by the order.

The gag order prohibits Trump from discussing the jury or potential witnesses involved in the hush money case. On Tuesday, New York attorney David R. Lurie expressed that the notes passed by Trump to his supporters could be seen as evidence of a violation of the court order. Lurie stated that if the contents of these notes align with what Trump's GOP allies have been expressing to the press, it could potentially be seen as a breach of the court's order.

Trump, who is the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, is facing criminal charges of falsifying business records related to his alleged payment of $130,000 to former adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. The payment was purportedly made to keep Daniels silent about an alleged affair with Trump. The former president has pleaded not guilty to all charges and denies any affair took place.

During the trial, Justice Juan Merchan, the presiding judge, has already fined Trump $1,000 forcontempt of court on ten separate occasions due to the former president's previous violations of the gag order. Trump's infractions have included critiquing the selection process of the jurors and expressing potential bias towards him. He has also made negative comments about Daniels, his former lawyer Michael Cohen, and other witnesses involved in the case.

On Tuesday, Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama urged fellow Republicans to assist Trump in "overcoming" the gag order. Tuberville stated that senators and congressmen should represent Trump and speak out on his behalf to challenge the restrictions. Tuberville, along with Republican Senators J.D. Vance and Rick Scott, attended the trial on Monday and subsequently criticized it when speaking to the media.

Vance, in his Fox News appearance, claimed that the prosecution's case had little substance as their star witness, Michael Cohen, is a "serial liar." Had Trump echoed Vance's statements, it could have been seen as a violation of the gag order, as Cohen is a key witness in the case. Vance further referred to the trial as a "sham" and aligned himself with Trump's belief that it is part of a political "witch hunt" to influence the 2024 presidential election.

Newsweek has reached out to Trump's attorney and the offices of Tuberville, Vance, and Scott for comment. Ron Filipkowski, editor-in-chief of the liberal news site MeidasTouch.com, has alleged that Trump is using "surrogates" to convey his messages, which would be a violation of the gag order. Filipkowski reiterated that the court order explicitly prohibits Trump from employing such tactics.

Former federal prosecutor Eric Lisann also expressed concerns, suggesting that Trump's supporters may be compelled to disclose any collusion in evading the court order. Lisann emphasized that Trump does not deny his involvement in directing others to speak in violation of the gag order, which itself is a violation. He highlighted that Justice Merchan could order Trump to present reasons why he should not be held in contempt, and the district attorney could also request the same. Lisann added that subpoenas may be issued to Scott, Vance, and Tuberville to uncover any potential involvement.

While some view investigating these alleged violations as a potential distraction, others argue that the matter deserves attention and action. As the trial progresses, further developments may shed light on whether Trump's communication with his supporters violated the court-ordered gag order.