Judge in hush money case acknowledges Trump could be the ‘next president’ as he warns of jail time

Judge Juan Merchan said this as he warned the former president he could face jail time if he continues to flout the gag order.

By Steven Richards

Published: May 6, 2024 5:08pm

The presiding judge in the New York “hush money” case acknowledged in court today that former President Donald Trump could very well be the next president as he handed down a ruling that the defendant violated his gag order for the tenth time.

Judge Juan Merchan also warned that any more violations of the gag order could result in jail time because the fines were apparently not deterring the former president.

Yet, Merchan acknowledged the significance of jailing such a prominent political figure.

“The last thing I want to consider is jail," Merchan said, according to Fox News. "You are [the] former president and possibly the next president.”

"The magnitude of that decision is not lost on me," the judge added. "Your continued willful violation of the court’s order…constitutes a direct attack…and will not be allowed to continue…It is not allowed to continue."