Former President Donald Trump’s niece, Mary Trump, has issued a stark warning about her uncle’s potential to defy court orders after a New York appeals court upheld a partial gag order against him.
According to a report by Benzinga on Friday, December 1, 2023, the gag order, issued by Judge Arthur Engoron, bars Trump from making derogatory remarks about court staff involved in the New York civil fraud trial targeting him and his family.
Engoron’s principal law clerk has been especially subject to Trump’s vitriol on social media.
Mary Trump, who is a psychologist, wrote on her Substack channel that the ruling spells trouble for her uncle, as his enormous ego and lack of self-control will make him incapable of complying with the court’s limitations.
She noted that one of Trump’s attorneys, Christopher Kise, lamented that the gag order was a “tragic day for the rule of law.”
Mary Trump said such grievances won’t endear Trump to Engoron, who has the power to decide his fate.
According to Mary Trump, Trump’s massive ego and insecurity drive him to lash out against the court, regardless of judicial orders.
She said the family has seen this tendency firsthand, and that Trump reacts to feelings of humiliation with aggression.
With the trial reaching its climax, Mary Trump expects her uncle’s erratic behavior to escalate.
Legal experts agree that the gag order poses a serious challenge for Trump, whose inflammatory rhetoric has repeatedly landed him in trouble throughout the fraud case.
His attacks on court personnel have already resulted in thousands of dollars in fines from Engoron.
The order comes at a crucial point in the trial, with closing arguments expected in mid-January. Trump is accused of inflating his net worth by billions to obtain favorable loans and insurance coverage for his properties.
While Trump remains the leading contender for the 2024 GOP nomination, his niece believes he is running out of options. She pointed out he has faced few repercussions over his decades-long career, going back to a racial discrimination lawsuit in 1973.
With major lawsuits underway from New York’s attorney general and the January 6th Committee, Mary Trump says her uncle is finally facing accountability. She expects him to become more aggressive as his legal troubles worsen.
True to form, Trump targeted Engoron’s wife on social media just hours after the gag order was reimposed. He claimed she was behind an anti-Trump social media account, which she denies.
Such outbursts may only bolster the case for Trump’s conviction, as Engoron has vowed to strictly enforce the speech restrictions.
Mary Trump’s insights into her uncle’s state of mind offer a rare glimpse into how the former president is coping with the lawsuits that could derail his political ambitions.
Her warnings indicate that Trump’s ego remains his biggest weakness, as he seems unable to refrain from engaging in self-destructive behavior.
Far from showing caution or restraint, the gag order may incite Trump to even more extreme rhetoric.
As Mary Trump anticipated, her uncle seems unwilling to follow rules he views as infringing on his perceived right to speak his mind, no matter how unwise or unlawful his words may be.
