WATCH: Trump Says He's Willing To Face Jail Time Over Gag Order - 'Our Constitution Is Much More Important Than Jail'

Addressing the press outside the courtroom on Monday, Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee, made a bold statement. He declared that the prospect of imprisonment for violating Judge Juan Merchan's gag order was a sacrifice he was willing to make. In his words, the Constitution holds a higher value than his freedom.

As previously reported by the DC Enquirer, Judge Merchan threatened to throw Trump in jail if he continued to violate the gag order imposed on him by the court. The gag order against Trump restricts him from commenting on witnesses in the case, jurors, and others involved. On Monday, Merchan ruled that the 45th president violated the order a 10th time and thus fined him $1,000.

The judge addressed Trump directly in the opening minutes of court, telling him that "the last thing" he wanted to do was to throw a former president and possibly future president in jail for being in contempt. The judge told the defendant that the various violations of the gag order are a "direct attack on the rule of law. I cannot allow that to continue."

"The magnitude of this decision is not lost on me, but at the end of the day, I have a job to do," Merchan explained. "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."

In the judge's order, Merchan emphasized that future violations would be met with possible incarceration. "Defendant is hereby put on notice that if appropriate and warranted, future violations of its lawful orders will be punishable by incarceration," the order reads.

In response to the decision, Trump told reporters after court on Monday that going to jail for expressing his thoughts on the case would be worth it. "I have to watch every word I tell you, people," Trump told the press. "You ask me a question, a simple question, I'd like to give it, but I can't talk about it because this judge has given me a gag order and said, you'll go to jail if you violate it and frankly, you know what? Our Constitution is much more important than jail. It's not even close. I'll make that sacrifice any day. But what's happening here is a disgrace."

Trump has repeatedly railed against the order, explaining in a Truth Social post, "This conflicted, Trump Hating Judge won't let me respond to people that are on TV lying and spewing hate all day long," Trump wrote. "He is running rough shod over my lawyers and legal team. The New York System of 'Justice' is being decimated by critics from all over the World. I want to speak, or at least be able to respond. Election Interference! RIGGED, UNCONSTITUTIONAL TRIAL! Take off the Gag Order!!!"

Trump was fined $9,000 last week after Judge Merchan ruled that he had violated his gag order on nine separate occasions due to various Truth Social posts that attacked witnesses in the case, notably his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, and adult film star Stormy Daniels.

WATCH:

Donald Trump is prepared to go to jail over gag order violations: “This judge has given me a gag order and said, you'll go to jail if you violate it and frankly, you know what? Our Constitution is much more important than jail. It's not even close. I'll do that sacrifice any day” pic.twitter.com/OPfh775lVY

— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) May 6, 2024

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