Former President Donald Trump has been fined $5,000 by New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron for failing to comply with a court order regarding a social media post. The post, which disparaged one of his staffers, Allison Greenfield, remained visible for weeks despite the court's directive to delete it.
Justice Engoron had previously ordered Trump on October 3 not to criticize his staff and to remove the post, which falsely depicted Greenfield as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's girlfriend. The judge sternly warned that future violations, whether intentional or unintentional, would result in more severe sanctions, including substantial financial penalties, contempt of court charges, and even the possibility of imprisonment. "Make no mistake: future violations, whether intentional or unintentional, will subject the violator to far more severe sanctions, which may include, but are not limited to, steeper financial penalties, holding Donald Trump in contempt of court, and possibly imprisoning him," Engoron said.
This incident sheds light on the power of judges to penalize individuals before verdicts are reached in various civil and criminal cases. Notably, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan had also ordered Trump not to criticize prosecutors, court staff, or witnesses in his federal trial related to allegations of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election. Trump's legal team, however, contested the order, claiming it was unprecedented and violated his rights as a candidate for public office.
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Engoron emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating, “Incendiary untruths can and have led to serious physical harm.” He further indicated that Trump might face more severe consequences if he fails to provide a satisfactory explanation for the violation.
{{/usCountry}}Engoron emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating, “Incendiary untruths can and have led to serious physical harm.” He further indicated that Trump might face more severe consequences if he fails to provide a satisfactory explanation for the violation.
{{/usCountry}}Although Trump was not present in court during the ruling, the controversial post was eventually removed late Thursday. Prior to its removal, Trump’s campaign had disseminated the post to thousands of his supporters via email and the campaign website. Trump’s lawyer, Christopher Kise, asserted that the dissemination was inadvertent and expressed regret on behalf of his client.