Donald Trump trial live updates: Former president says he knows next witness and fumes that his lawyers ‘haven’t had time to prepare’

Donald Trump says he was just told the identity of today’s witness and said his lawyers “haven’t been given time to prepare.”

“This is unprecedented,” he criticized Truth Social.

The former president also ran the risk of violating the gag order again.

‘No judge has ever conducted a trial in such a biased and partisan manner. He is CROOKED AND HIGHLY CONFLICTED, he even took away my First Amendment rights.

‘Now they threaten me with jail, AND THEY HAVE NO CASE – This according to practically all jurists and experts! Why don’t the fake news media report on their conflict?

Prosecutors in the Trump hush money case told Judge Merchan they could wrap up their case within two weeks.

That would mean the prosecution ends on May 21. Merchan said he wouldn’t force them to do it.

Trump denounced this as a “political witch hunt” and a ploy to keep him out of the election campaign for a few more weeks.

An excited Trump spoke to reporters before leaving the courthouse.

Trump criticized the latest violation of the gag order issued today by Judge Merchan against him.

He was threatened with jail time and has to pay $10,000 fines for talking about the jury, witnesses and the judge.

But it didn’t seem to bother the former president, who told reporters as he left the courthouse that he would be willing to serve time to protect the First Amendment.

“I have to watch every word I say to you,” he lamented.

“Yes, we have questions, a simple question. I would like to ask you, but I can’t talk about it because this judge has given me a gag order and said that if you violate it, you will go to jail.”

‘And, frankly, you know what? Our Constitution is much more important than prison. It’s not even close. I’ll make that sacrifice any day.

Witnesses walked prosecutors step-by-step through payments to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen from the Trump Organization on Monday as prosecutors laid out their paper trail in the hush money case against Donald Trump.

Two former Trump Organization employees were called to the stand to testify in the case: Jeff McConney, a former comptroller who retired last year, as well as Deborah Tarasoff, who works in accounting and writes checks.

During McConney’s testimony, jurors were shown a series of documents including invoices, checks, spreadsheets and handwritten notes as the witness explained how Cohen was “reimbursed” for the alleged hush payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.

In total, McConney testified that Cohen was paid $420,000, including money from Trump’s revocable trust and later from his personal account.

McConney recalled a conversation he had with Allen Weisselberg, the Trump Organization’s chief financial officer, about owing money to Cohen.

donald trump returns to hush money trial Tuesday after the judge warned he could go to prison if he violates the gag order again.

The former president was found guilty of contempt of court and fined $1,000 by Judge Juan Merchán, who reprimanded him for a “direct attack on the rule of law.”

The 77-year-old was warned he could spend time behind bars if he continues to disobey court laws.

Trump ended his day in court by suggesting he is willing to go to jail to continue criticizing her case.

Trump complained about a gag order preventing him from talking about jurors, witnesses and some other people connected to the trial, telling reporters: “I have to watch every word I say to them… because this judge He has given me a gag order and said you will go to jail if you violate it.

And, frankly, you know what? Our Constitution is much more important than prison,’ he continued. “It’s not even close. “I’ll make that sacrifice any day.”