Trump’s ‘off the rails’ rhetoric could land him in jail, says former White House lawyer

Former Trump White House lawyer Ty Cobb said his former boss could soon end up in jail over “off the rails” rhetoric regarding his New York business fraud trial and other cases.

Trump and his attorneys are facing a limited gag order in the New York case, which prevents him from demeaning the court or discussing witnesses publicly. But Trump has frequently flouted the order — including Tuesday, when he reposted a message calling for a “citizen’s arrest” of Judge Arthur Engoron and the prosecutor of one of his criminal cases.

“It’s much like what he did on Jan. 6. It continues to be off the rails in terms of the extent to which his invective infects these proceedings and is the potential to intimidate witnesses,” Cobb said in a CNN interview Tuesday. 

“I believe that, you know, at some point, comments like this will result in Trump not only being sanctioned,” he continued. “But at some point, these types of comments will result in him being put in jail pending some of these trials.”

A second gag order in his Washington election fraud criminal trial has been paused pending an appeal.

Cobb said Trump’s “petty dictator-type talk” endangers the justice system and the fairness of his own trials, as well as “diminishes” both Trump’s legacy and the standing of the U.S.

Engoron has already levied $15,000 in fines against Trump for violations of the gag order, specifically regarding comments demeaning court employees.

In that trial, prosecutors said Trump and his adult sons manipulated the value of their business assets in order to get better insurance and loan terms. They are seeking $250 million in damages and to ban the former president from operating businesses in New York.

His legal team will give their defense in the case this week, and are expected to file for a mistrial.