Judge fines Trump $9,000, threatens jail for contempt in hush money trial

FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. President Donald Trump walks at Manhattan criminal court in New York, U.S., on Friday, April 26, 2024. Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records as part of an alleged scheme to silence claims of extramarital sexual encounters during his 2016 presidential campaign. Curtis Means/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

(Reuters) -The judge overseeing Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial fined the former U.S. president $9,000 for contempt of court on Tuesday and said he would consider jailing him if he continued to violate a gag order.

In a written order, Justice Juan Merchan said the fine may not be enough to serve as a deterrent for the wealthy businessman-turned-politician and lamented he did not have the authority to impose a higher penalty.