Trump held in contempt of court and fined $10,000 per day


A New York judge ruled Monday to hold former President Donald Trump in contempt of court and fine him $10,000 per day for failing to comply with subpoenas ordering him to hand over records by March 31, Bloomberg reports.
The subpoenas were issued in connection with New York Attorney General Letitia James' probe into whether Trump broke the law by overstating the value of his assets in order to obtain "more favorable terms for bank loans," per Bloomberg.
Trump's lawyer, Alina Habba, claimed her client is "an honest person" and has already handed over all the required records. If that is the case, Judge Arthur Engoron asked Habba, "[w]hy don't we have an affidavit from him" affirming under oath that all the subpoenaed documents have indeed been delivered?
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
According to Bloomberg, New York is likely to bring an enforcement action against Trump, but the "AG's attorney didn't give any details about what kind of enforcement action the state might bring or when it might be filed."
In February, Engoron ordered Trump to be deposed as part of James' investigation, but Trump appealed the ruling, "a move that will probably delay the battle over his testimony by months," The Guardian reported last month.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
Cool off at the best saltwater pools in the UK
The Week Recommends From 1930s Art Deco lidos to 'magical' tidal pools, these sheltered spots offer a safer alternative to sea swimming
-
Kinmen Islands: Taiwan's frontline with China
In Depth Just a few miles off the mainland, the Kinmen Islands could be attacked first if China invades Taiwan
-
Bellagio: glitz and glamour on the Las Vegas Strip
The Week Recommends Find la dolce vita in the Nevada desert at this luxurious hotel
-
SCOTUS greenlights mass DOE firings
Speed Read The Supreme Court will allow the Trump administration to further shrink the Education Department
-
Cuomo announces third-party run for NYC mayor
Speed Read He will go up against progressive Democratic powerhouse Zohran Mamdani and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams
-
Big, beautiful bill: Supercharging ICE
Feature With billions in new funding, ICE is set to expand its force of agents and build detention camps capable of holding more than 100,000 people
-
Deportations: Citizens could be next
Feature the Trump is expanding denaturalization efforts, targeting naturalized citizens and birthright citizenship
-
Ukraine: Trump's mixed messages
Feature Trump reverses a Pentagon freeze on Patriot missiles to Ukraine as Russia ramps up air attacks
-
Supreme Court: Ceding more power to Trump?
Feature SCOTUS has given Trump a victory by ending nationwide injunctions, limiting judges' power to block presidential orders
-
The Pam Bondi and Dan Bongino schism threatens Trump's DOJ
In the Spotlight Two MAGA partisans find themselves on either end of a growing scandal over Jeffrey Epstein and his ties to White House officials
-
Secret Service 'failures' on Trump shooting
Speed Read Two new reports detail security breakdowns that led to attempts on the president's life