Former President Trump attends trial for jury selection at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City on April 15, 2024. (Michael Nagle/New York Post via AP/Pool)
"The defendant is aware of the April 1 order. We know that from various posts he had made," said prosecutor Christopher Conroy before Merchan's ruling.
"We think it is important for the court to remind Mr. Trump is a criminal defendant," Conroy added.
Trump's defense attorney, Todd Blanche, said the former president was defending himself.
"He is responding to salacious, repeated, vehement attacks by these witnesses," Blanche said.
The defense team has until April 19 to file a written response to the prosecutors' claims Trump violated the gag order.
The hush money case began Monday and marks the historical first of a former president standing trial on criminal charges. The case focuses on former Trump attorney Michael Cohen paying former pornography actor Stormy Daniels $130,000 ahead of the 2016 election to allegedly silence her claims she had an affair with Trump in 2006.
POTENTIAL TRUMP HUSH MONEY TRIAL JURORS BEING ASKED 42 QUESTIONS
Prosecutors say the Trump Organization reimbursed Cohen and falsely recorded the payments as legal expenses. Prosecutors are working to prove that Trump falsified the records with an intent to commit or conceal a second crime, which is a felony.
Former President Trump leaves Trump Tower in New York City on April 15, 2024. (Probe-Media for Fox News Digital)
"This is an assault on America, and that's why I'm very proud to be here," Trump added. "This is really an attack on a political opponent."
9 QUESTIONS ABOUT TRUMP TRIAL, ANSWERED
The trial began with jury selection, where a pool of more than 500 potential jurors will be asked a series of questions to determine if they can fairly assess the case. The potential jurors will be dismissed until a pool of 12 jurors, as well as a handful of alternates, are selected. The jury selection process is anticipated to last at least a week.
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Trump's legal team said Monday that the 45th president wants to be present for each interview, which Merchan acknowledged but said would likely be tricky due to Trump's Secret Service presence.
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