'He is cursing audibly': Lawyer warned to control Trump during Stormy Daniels testimony
Former President Donald Trump's attorney was warned by Judge Juan Merchan to get control of his client during their Manhattan hush money trial — and in particular, get him to stop "cursing audibly."
The interaction between Merchan and attorney Todd Blanche, reported by CNN's Kaitlan Collins, came as adult film star Stormy Daniels came in to testify about her alleged affair with Trump that formed the basis of the purported hush payments to defraud voters in the 2016 election, currently being prosecuted as business fraud.
Reports indicated that Trump was visibly upset as Daniels recounted embarrassing and salacious details about him for the courtroom to hear.
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"I understand that your client is upset at this point, but he is cursing audibly, and he is shaking his head visually and that's contemptuous ... I am speaking to you here at the bench because I don't want to embarrass him," said Merchan, who has already fined Trump for contempt of court and threatened him with jail for further offenses. Blanche replied, "I will talk to him ... I will talk to him."
Many commenters on social media responded to the report of Merchan's latest reprimand with mockery for the former president.
"Lol, the orange loser is getting flustered," wrote X user Logan Henderson.
"He's in trouble with the judge, again, because a grown-a-- man refuses to behave in public," wrote the account @dj_ewi.
"I still can't believe this motherf----- with zero self-control was actually negotiating with heads of state and had access to the nuclear codes," wrote @adelpreore.
"When Trump can't control the narrative and all of his worst qualities are fully on display, his narcissism can't handle it. It is why he only supports politicians who worship him. It is why he has an assistant who follows him around to print out positive news articles. Sad," wrote Ryan Sears.
Other commenters urged Merchan not to show so much deference to the defendant's feelings.
"No, Judge Merchan. Call him out. Embarrass him. You have every right to. He is making a mockery of your courtroom with his antics," wrote the X user Artie Vandelay.