Trump Granted Permission to Attend Son's Graduation Amid Hush Money Trial

Former President Donald Trump has been granted permission by a New York judge to attend his son Barron's high school graduation next month, despite his ongoing criminal trial in Manhattan. However, Judge Juan Merchan also held Trump in contempt of court and fined him $9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that prohibits him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors, and others connected to the case.

The judge warned Trump that if he continues to violate the gag order, he could face incarceration. "I'm not going to sit here and just twiddle my thumbs and sit on my hands if there are further violations of this order," Merchan said. The ruling came as a rebuke for Trump, who had insisted he was exercising his free speech rights.

Trump's criminal trial, the first ever against a former U.S. president, began on April 22 and is now entering its third week. Prosecutors allege that Trump and his associates took part in an illegal scheme to influence the 2016 presidential election by burying negative stories, including a hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels to hide an alleged affair.

Why this matters: The historic trial of a former president has significant implications for the rule of law and the integrity of the U.S. political system. The outcome could impact Trump's political future and set a precedent for holding high-level officials accountable for their actions.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records related to his reimbursement to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, for the hush money payment to Daniels. If convicted, Trump could face up to four years in prison. The trial is expected to last another month or more, with testimony from key witnesses such as Cohen, Daniels, and former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, who testified about the tabloid's "catch-and-kill" practice of purchasing the rights to damaging stories to prevent their publication.

Key Takeaways

• Trump granted permission to attend son's graduation, fined $9K for gag order violation.
• Judge warns Trump of possible incarceration if he continues to violate gag order.
• Trump's criminal trial, the first against a former U.S. president, is ongoing.
• Prosecutors allege illegal scheme to influence 2016 election by burying negative stories.
• If convicted, Trump could face up to 4 years in prison for 34 counts of falsifying records.