Trump held in contempt of court, fined for violating gag order

Donald Trump has been held in contempt of court and fined in his New York criminal trial. Judge Juan Merchan concluded that the former president repeatedly violated a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York criminal trial. The judge rebuked Trump, holding him in contempt of court and fining him nine-thousand dollars — one thousand dollars each for nine violations. The former president had insisted he was exercising his free speech rights with his comments and social media posts.