Judge: “The court will not tolerate continued willful violations of its lawful orders” Justice Merchan determined that Mr. Trump had flouted the gag order by making nine public statements on social media and on his campaign website in which he attacked witnesses and the jury. The judge’s decision on Tuesday and his questioning at the hearing last week marked a nadir in relations between the court and Donald J. Trump, who stands accused of falsifying records to cover up a sexual encounter involving a porn star