TRUMP RETURNS TO CAMPAIGN FACING A WARNING OF JAIL TIME IF HE VIOLATES A TRIAL GAG ORDER

NEW DELHI: Donald Trump on Wednesday will take a one-day break from his trial involving hush money to campaign for voters in battleground states of Wisconsin and Michigan, following a contempt of court charge and the threat of jail time for breaching a court order. His comments will be under close scrutiny following the $9,000 fine he received for publicly discussing individuals linked to the case. In imposing the fine for posts on Trump's Truth Social account and campaign website, Judge Juan M Merchan said that if Trump continued to violate his orders, he "will impose an incarceratory punishment'.

The former president is attempting to perform a balancing act that has never been seen before in American history. He is seeking a second term as the presumptive Republican nominee while simultaneously facing felony charges in New York. Trump often targets Merchan, prosecutors, and potential witnesses at his rallies and on social media. These attack lines resonate with his supporters but may have exposed him to legal risks.

Trump claims that he is simply exercising his right to free speech, but the posts that violated the rules on his Truth Social account and campaign website were removed. Merchan is considering other reported violations of gag orders by Trump and will listen to arguments on Thursday.

Trump seemed frustrated after the ninth day of the trial ended, expressing a desire to be in Georgia and New Hampshire rather than being in court.

"They don't want me on the campaign trail," he told reporters.

Trump has often called this case and other criminal cases against him "election interference', saying they keep him from campaigning for the presidential election in November.

The gag order prevented him from publicly discussing witnesses, jurors, and other individuals involved in his hush money case.

Manhattan prosecutors have argued that Trump and his associates participated in an illegal scheme to influence the 2016 presidential campaign by buying and then hiding stories. He has pleaded not guilty.

Trump's visits to Wisconsin and Michigan signify his second journey to the swing states within a month. For the last rallies, the former president largely focused on immigration referring to people who are in the US illegally and who are suspected of crimes as "animals."

Wisconsin and Michigan are two of the battleground states that are expected to determine the outcome of the 2024 election.

Trump needs to perform well in suburban areas such as those outside Milwaukee and Saginaw, Michigan, where he is scheduled to hold rallies on Wednesday. He did not perform as well in suburban areas during this year's primary, despite his overall dominance in the Republican field.

Trump has repeatedly made false claims that the 2020 election was taken away from him. The losses suffered by Trump in battleground states in 2020 have been confirmed through recounts, audits, and reviews by the Justice Department and external observers.

(With inputs from agencies)