Secret Service preparing plan for Trump being jailed for contempt in hush money trial

Story by Paul Withers, Lucy Sarret
22h • 2 min read


Donald Trump attends his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs© Getty

The US Secret Service is considering what to do if Donald Trump were to be held in contempt in his criminal hush money trial in a move that could see him sent to jail for a short period.
On Tuesday, Judge Juan Merchan reserved a decision on the matter, and prosecutors are now seemingly pushing for a fine against the former president.

Assistant District Attorney Chris Conroy said: "We are not yet seeking an incarceratory penalty, but the defendant seems to be angling for that."
Officials do not think it is overly likely Merchan would place Trump in a holding cell in the courthouse. However, they are still planning for contingencies, according to the officials familiar with the situation speaking to ABC News.
There have reportedly not been any discussions yet about what would happen if Trump is convicted and sentenced to prison. The Secret Service declined to comment on specific plans in the matter.
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Former President Donald Trump's Hush-Money Criminal Trial© Getty

The Secret Service said in a statement: "Under federal law, the United States Secret Service must provide protection for current government leaders, former Presidents and First Ladies, visiting heads of state and other individuals designated by the President of the United States.

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"For all settings around the world, we study locations and develop comprehensive and layered protective models that incorporate state of the art technology, protective intelligence and advanced security tactics to safeguard our protectees. Beyond that, we do not comment on specific protective operations."
By law, the Secret Service is required to protect a former president around the clock, a move that would pose significant challenges if he were to be sent to jail.
Trump is facing felony charges of falsifying business records related to concealing reimbursements for a hush money payment made by his then-attorney Michael Cohen to adult film actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. He denies any wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, prosecutors have accused Trump of violating a limited gag order on numerous occasions this month by making statements about witnesses, jurors, and lawyers involved in the case, contrary to the directives of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Trump's defence team countered these accusations, arguing that his social media posts criticizing Cohen and Daniels were not deliberate breaches of the gag order but rather defenses against anticipated attacks from potential witnesses.
Additionally, they contended that the gag order's ambiguity allows Trump to make "political" statements within its confines.
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Secret Service preparing plan for Trump being jailed for contempt in hush money trial (msn.com)