Did Eric Trump break court rules? Trump’s son fires off tweet about Michael Cohen from trial

Donald Trump’s middle son Eric Trump could be in trouble after tweeting from Manhattan Criminal Court on Monday as he sat to observe the first day of Michael Cohen’s testimony at his father’s hush money trial.

“I have never seen anything more rehearsed,” the former president’s son posted on X at 10.51am local time, presumably referring to Cohen’s performance on the witness stand, during which the former attorney calmly laid out how he paid the $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in October 2016 at his boss’s behest and sought to be reimbursed.

Eric Trump was sitting directly behind the defendant at the time of the tweet, flanked by Mr Trump’s legal spokesperson Alina Habba on his right and two Secret Service agents to his left.

The court does not allow the use of mobile phones within its walls when proceedings are active and Judge Juan Merchan has already admonished a member of the press for taking a photograph on their phone inside court, even before that day’s session was underway.

Court officers have since clarified that mobiles are banned in the courtroom, even among journalists, although credentialed press members are permitted to use their laptops when reporting, and lawyers for the prosecution and defence on the front bench are exempt from the rule.

It is not yet clear whether Judge Merchan will choose to address the tweet, which NBC News reporter Daniel Arkin first noticed, but he has already fined Mr Trump himself $10,000 for violating the gag order placed on him to protect the integrity of the proceedings and prevent the intimidation of witnesses and staff.

The former president’s son followed up his appearance in court by appearing on Laura Ingraham’s Fox News show on Monday night.

There,