Donald Trump has spent the opening days of his civil fraud trial attacking the judge, attacking New York Attorney General Letitia James and denouncing the case itself as a political persecution.
On Tuesday, he went after a member of the judge's staff.
The judge responded with a gag order.
New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron imposed the limited order during the second day of Trump's civil fraud trial after the former president posted a photograph and disparaging claims about Engoron's principal law clerk, Allison Greenfield, on his Truth Social account.
Engoron ordered the post removed and made clear from the bench that attacks on his employees would not be tolerated.
“Personal attacks on members of my court staff are unacceptable, inappropriate, and I will not tolerate them under any circumstances,” Engoron said.
He then imposed an order prohibiting the parties in the case from publicly commenting about members of his staff.
Trump is still free to criticize Engoron.
He is still free to criticize James.
He is still free to attack the case against him.
But the judge has now drawn a line around his employees.
Trump Targets the Judge's Clerk
Trump's post targeted Greenfield, who sits alongside Engoron in the courtroom and assists the judge during the trial.
Trump circulated a photograph showing Greenfield with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and falsely described her as Schumer's “girlfriend.”
He also identified her by name and linked to what appeared to be her personal social media account.
Trump used the post to argue that the case against him should immediately be dismissed.
Engoron described what had been posted as a “disparaging, untrue and personally identifying” attack on a member of his staff.
The post disappeared from Trump's Truth Social account after the judge ordered it deleted.
But the episode wasn't over.
“Consider This Statement a Gag Order”
When court resumed, Engoron addressed what had happened.
The judge announced that attacks on his staff would no longer be permitted.
“Consider this statement a gag order,” Engoron told the courtroom.
The restriction applies to all parties in the case, not simply Trump, and prohibits public statements concerning members of Engoron's staff.
The judge also warned that violations could bring serious consequences.
It is a remarkable development only two days into the trial.
Trump entered the Manhattan courthouse Monday already attacking nearly everyone connected with the case.
He has called Engoron a “rogue judge.”
He has repeatedly attacked James, the Democratic attorney general who brought the lawsuit.
He has called the proceedings a “witch hunt,” a “scam” and a politically motivated attempt to damage his presidential campaign.
But targeting a member of the judge's staff prompted Engoron to act.
The Trial Is Already Going Badly for Trump
Trump isn't entering this trial with the central fraud question still undecided.
Engoron ruled last week that Trump and his company committed fraud by repeatedly providing financial statements that overstated the value of assets while seeking favorable terms from banks and insurers.
Among the properties examined by the judge was Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
The ruling found persistent fraudulent valuations and ordered the cancellation of business certificates for some Trump-controlled entities in New York, although the practical consequences of that order are still being worked out.
The trial that began Monday is addressing additional claims brought by James and determining potential penalties.
James is seeking approximately $250 million and restrictions on Trump's ability to conduct business in New York.
Trump denies wrongdoing and maintains that his financial statements accurately represented his wealth.
Trump Keeps Attacking the Case
Outside the courtroom Tuesday, Trump continued using the courthouse hallway as something resembling a campaign stage.
He spoke repeatedly to reporters and attacked James and Engoron.
Trump argues that the lawsuit is politically motivated because James is a Democrat and because he is seeking the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.
James has rejected that accusation and says the case is about enforcing New York law.
The extraordinary part of Tuesday's confrontation is that Engoron's gag order doesn't prevent Trump from continuing those attacks.
The judge did not prohibit Trump from criticizing him.
He did not prohibit Trump from criticizing James.
He did not prohibit Trump from proclaiming his innocence.
And he did not prevent Trump from criticizing the case itself.
The order concerns the judge's staff.
A Line Trump Is Now Ordered Not to Cross
Trump has built much of his political identity around attacking the people and institutions he believes are treating him unfairly.
Prosecutors.
Judges.
Investigators.
Political opponents.
Government agencies.
The news media.
Those attacks have continued as his legal problems have multiplied.
But a courtroom operates differently from a campaign rally or social media platform.
Judges have authority over the proceedings taking place before them, including the ability to impose restrictions intended to protect the integrity and safety of the judicial process.
On Tuesday, Trump discovered where Engoron intends to draw that line.
Trump attacked the judge's clerk in the morning.
By the afternoon, the post was gone.
And a gag order was in place.