Donald Trump has falsely claimed that he can "not testify" in his own trial because of the gag order. On Friday, Judge Juan Merchan corrected him.
The gag order “does not prohibit you from taking the stand," Merchan clarified, adding that it does not otherwise limit what Trump can say at trial.
Merchan then told Trump to “please let your attorney know.” That's because Trump’s lead defense lawyer, Todd Blanche, nodded along when Trump made his comments outside the courtroom yesterday.
When Merchan finished addressing Trump, the former president mouthed the words, “thank you,” The New York Times reported (as he entered the courtroom Friday, Trump had told reporters the order "stops me from talking about people and responding when they say things about me").
It is far from clear that Trump will ever take the stand in his own defense. But it is important that he understands the conditions of his gag order. Earlier this week, he was fined $9,000 for nine violations of that order, with Merchan warning that a harsher, “incarceratory punishment” is not off the table if the violations continue.
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