'Extremely Subdued' Donald Trump Shakes His Head After Judge Threatens Him With Jail Time Over Gag Order Violations

Donald Trump had nothing to say after Judge Juan Merchan reprimanded him for violating his gag order in his New York hush money trial.

On Monday, May 6, the judge found the 77-year-old in "criminal contempt" of court for the 10th time following the embattled ex-president's refusal to stop posting scathing rants against him, the prosecutors and others related to the case on social media.

"Going forward, this court will have to consider a jail sanction," Merchan explained. "Mr. Trump, it’s important you understand, the last thing I want to do is put you in jail. You are the former president of the United States and possibly the next president as well."

"The magnitude of this decision is not lost on me but at the end of the day I have a job to do," he continued. "So as much as I don’t want to impose a jail sanction … I want you to understand that I will if necessary and appropriate."

Journalist Maggie Haberman reported on the announcement, calling it an "extraordinary moment."

"Trump had no noticeable reaction to Merchan warning him that jail could be in the offing if he continues to flaunt his gag order," she noted. "It’s an extremely subdued reaction compared to when Lewis Kaplan, a federal judge, threatened to jail him in one of his civil trials and Trump shot back, 'I would love it.'"

The Times contributor Kate Christobek described Trump as "hunched over at the defense table" during Merchan's warning. She claimed that when the judge finished speaking, the controversial politician merely "shook his head."

Minutes later, Jonathan Swan reported that it had been a "stunning moment," as he'd "never seen anybody warn Trump, to his face, about the prospect of incarceration."

"He’s now sitting quietly, frowning, still seemingly absorbing that message from the judge," Swan added.

As OK! previously reported, Trump is facing 34 counts of falsifying business documents related to a $130,000 payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. The former POTUS has been raging against the gag order in interviews and on his Truth Social platform since before the trial began on April 15.

"Highly conflicted, to put it mildly," Trump stated in an all-caps social media post penned on April 23. "Judge Juan Merchan has taken away my constitutional right to free speech. Everybody is allowed to talk and lie about me, but I am not allowed to defend myself. This is a kangaroo court and the judge should recuse himself!"

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