Judge Juan Merchan expressed frustration with Trump lawyer Todd Blanche’s attempts to justify the former president’s apparent violations of a gag order. Blanche argued that Trump’s social media posts merely reflected others’ opinions, but Merchan questioned the passive nature of Trump’s account and the responsibility for selecting the shared articles. The judge also rejected Blanche’s suggestion that Trump could clarify his intentions by testifying, stating that Blanche had presented insufficient evidence. Despite Trump’s complaints about the gag order, prosecutors have not yet sought jail time as a sanction.