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Donald Trump has appeared in court via video link to receive a warning from a judge over evidence sharing in his criminal hush money case.

It was his first appearance in court – albeit this time not in person – since his arraignment on 5 April where he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records and ordering alleged hush money payments.

The former US president, 76, was connected by video conference while prosecutors and Trump’s lawyers attended the Manhattan court in person.

The sole purpose of the hearing was to ensure Trump is aware of new rules barring him from using evidence turned over by prosecutors to target and attack witnesses.

Donald Trump appeared with his lawyer in court by videolink

Judge Juan Merchan first addressed Trump – warning the former president that if he violates a protective order set down in the case he could face sanctions, including contempt of court.

Addressing Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche – who was sat next to the former president – Judge Merchan said: “Did you also explain this order is a mandate of the court?

Mr Blanche replied: “He understands he needs to comply and if he doesn’t it would violate the court order.”

“Contempt is punishable,” said Judge Merchan.

“Understood,” replied Mr Blanche.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump appears in court for an arraignment on charges stemming from his indictment by a Manhattan grand jury following a probe into hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, in New York City, U.S., April 4, 2023. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/Pool
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Trump in court in April

Following the hearing, Trump criticised the decision to hold his trial on 25 March next year, calling it “election interference”.

He posted on the social media platform Truth: “Just had New York County Supreme Court hearing where I believe my First Amendment Rights,”Freedom of Speech,” have been violated, and they forced upon us a trial date of March 25th, right in the middle of Primary season.

“Very unfair, but this is exactly what the Radical Left Democrats wanted. It’s called ELECTION INTERFERENCE, and nothing like this has ever happened in our Country before!!!”

Mr Merchan agreed to the extra step of personally instructing Trump on the restrictions after listing them in what’s known as a protective order on 8 May.

Prosecutors sought the order soon after Trump’s arrest, citing what they say is his history of making “harassing, embarrassing, and threatening statements” about people he has been involved in legal disputes with.

In March, Trump warned of possible “death and destruction” if he was indicted for making alleged hush payments to Stormy Daniels.

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The former porn actress, who claimed Trump’s lawyers made a $130,000 (£105,000) payment to her in 2016 in exchange for her silence over an extramarital sexual encounter a decade earlier, also said she has received death threats from Trump supporters since the facts of the charges were made public.

Stormy Daniels was paid $130,000 in the final weeks of Mr Trump's 2016 presidential campaign
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Stormy Daniels

The order prevents Trump from disseminating evidence to third parties or posting on social media, and that certain, sensitive material shared by prosecutors be kept only by his lawyers.

Mr Merchan has made clear that the order should not be construed as a gag order, and the former president, who has a “special” status, has a right to publicly defend himself.

Trump is the first former US president to face criminal charges in court, even as he makes a bid to retake the White House in 2024.

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Trump calls sex accuser ‘wack job’

His lawyers are seeking to have his criminal case moved to federal court.

Earlier this month Trump was found liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E Jean Carroll in the 1990s.

Despite consistently denying Ms Carroll’s claims, he was ordered to pay the former Elle magazine advice columnist $5m (£4m) in damages.

Barely a day after the jury’s rule in New York, Trump was seen mocking Ms Carroll on prime-time television, calling her a “wack job” and claiming the judge was “biased”.

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Trump accused of ‘pouring salt on the wounds’ five years after murder that shook America

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Trump accused of 'pouring salt on the wounds' five years after murder that shook America

In the dozens of framed images and newspaper clippings covering the walls of his office in downtown New York City, Al Sharpton is pictured alongside presidents and leading protests.

He has spent decades campaigning and is perhaps the most famous civil rights activist in the US today.

Many of those clippings on the wall relate to one moment in May 2020 – the murder of George Floyd.

George Floyd was killed while under arrest in Minneapolis in May
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George Floyd was killed while under arrest in Minneapolis in May 2020

Speaking to Sky News ahead of the five-year anniversary of that moment, Mr Sharpton remembered the combination of “humiliation and deep anger” he felt seeing the footage of Mr Floyd’s death that swept the world.

“The more I watched, the more angry I felt,” he said.

Mr Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis by Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old white police officer.

Mr Floyd had been arrested after a store clerk reported he had made a purchase using counterfeit money.

Chauvin knelt on Mr Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes, while he was handcuffed and lying face down in the street.

Chauvin pressed his knee on Mr Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes, as the victim repeatedly said "I can't breathe" Pic: AP
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Chauvin pressed his knee on Mr Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes, as the victim repeatedly said ‘I can’t breathe’. Pic: AP

‘A seismic moment’

For Mr Sharpton, who has marched with countless other families, this felt different because it was “graphic and unnecessary”.

“What kind of person would hear somebody begging for their life and ignore them?” he said.

“I had no idea this would become a seismic moment,” he continued.

“I think people would accuse civil rights leaders, activists like me of being opportunistic, but we don’t know if one call from the next one is going to be big, all we know is we have to answer to the call.”

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Has US changed five years after George Floyd’s death?

Trump ‘pouring salt on the wounds’

Mr Floyd’s death took place during Donald Trump’s first term in the White House.

During Trump’s second term, his administration has moved to repeal federal oversight plans for the Minneapolis Police Department – a move originally supported by Joe Biden’s administration.

Mr Sharpton believes Mr Trump and the Department of Justice have purposely timed this for the 5th Anniversary of Mr Floyd’s Death.

“It’s pouring salt on the wounds of those that were killed, and those that fought,” he said.

“I think Donald Trump and his administration is actively trying to reverse and revoke changes and progress made with policing based on the movement we created after George Floyd’s death, worldwide.”

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Protesters took to the street the day before jury selection, due to take three weeks, started
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The murder of George Floyd sparked Black Lives Matter protests around the world

Mr Sharpton still supports George Floyd’s family and will be with them this weekend in Houston, Texas, where many of them will mark the anniversary.

He said the legacy of Mr Floyd’s death is still being written.

Evoking the civil rights movement of the 1960s he said: “The challenge is we must turn those moments into permanent movements, it took nine years from 1955 to 1964 for Dr [Martin Luther] King in that movement to get a Civil Rights Act after Rosa Parks sat in the front of a bus in Montgomery.

“We’re five years out of George Floyd, we’ve got to change the laws.

“We can do it in under nine years, but we can’t do it if we take our eye off the prize.”

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Trump threatens EU with 50% tariffs – as Apple faces 25% unless iPhones are made in US

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Trump threatens EU with 50% tariffs - as Apple faces 25% unless iPhones are made in US

Donald Trump has threatened to impose 50% tariffs on the EU, starting from next month, after saying that trade talks with Brussels were “going nowhere”.

Mr Trump made the comments on his Truth Social platform. It is a fresh escalation in his trade row with the European Union, which he has previously accused of ripping off the US.

It comes as he also announced that Apple will be forced to pay 25% tariffs on its iPhones unless it moves all its manufacturing to the US.

Apple shares dropped more than 2% in premarket trading after the warning, also posted on Truth Social.

“I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhone’s that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else,” wrote the president.

“If that is not the case, a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the U.S.”

Production of Apple’s flagship phone happens primarily in China and India, which has been an issue brought up repeatedly by President Trump.

On Thursday, the Financial Times reported Apple was planning to expand its India supply chain through a key contractor.

Taiwanese company Foxconn is planning to build a new factory in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, according to the paper, to help supply Apple.

Sky News has contacted Apple for comment.

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Israeli embassy shooting suspect ‘fired repeatedly after victims hit the ground’

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Israeli embassy shooting suspect 'fired repeatedly after victims hit the ground'

The man suspected of shooting dead two Israeli embassy workers in Washington DC leaned over and fired at them repeatedly after they fell to the ground, the FBI has said.

Elias Rodriguez, 31, has been charged with murdering Sarah Milgrim and her boyfriend Yaron Lischinsky, after they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum on Wednesday night.

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Footage has showed Rodriguez, from Chicago, chanting “free, free Palestine” as he was arrested.

It later emerged Mr Lischinsky had bought a ring and planned to propose to Ms Milgrim.

Authorities are investigating the killings as both a hate crime against the Jewish community and terrorism.

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Shootings suspect shouts ‘free Palestine!’

‘I did it for Gaza’

It comes as the FBI has said in a charging document on Thursday that surveillance footage shows how Ms Milgrim and Mr Lischinsky died.

Rodriguez is allegedly seen passing the couple after they left the museum before shooting them in the back.

The FBI says the footage then shows him leaning over the couple and firing at them several more times after they fell to the ground.

The video then shows Ms Milgrim attempting to crawl away before “(Rodriguez) followed behind her and fired again”, the charging document says.

The suspected gunman is then accused of reloading his weapon and firing at Ms Milgrim as she sat up.

According to the charging document, Rodriguez then jogged to the museum and once inside asked to speak to a police officer before stating that he “did it” and that he was unarmed.

He is then said to have told police: “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza, I am unarmed.”

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DC shooting: Father pays tribute to ‘perfect’ daughter

Suspect ‘expressed admiration’ for fatal protest

The court document also states that 21 expended 9mm bullet cases were found at the scene and the gun was slide-locked – meaning it was empty of ammunition.

An empty gun magazine was also recovered from the scene.

The FBI says it has obtained travel records which show Rodriguez flew from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport to the Reagan National in Washington DC on Tuesday with the gun in his checked baggage.

Rodriguez had bought the weapon in the state of Illinois on 6 March 2020, according to the charging document.

The FBI has said that while Rodriguez was in custody he “expressed admiration” for a US Air Force member who set himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington DC on 25 February 2024.

Aaron Bushnell died in the apparent act of protest against the war in Gaza.

Rodriguez also told police he bought a ticket to the museum around three hours before the event that was attended by Ms Milgrim and Mr Lischinsky.

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During a brief court appearance at the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington DC today, Rodriguez was charged with two counts of first degree murder and with the murder of foreign officials.

He has also been charged with causing the death of a person through the use of a firearm and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.

Rodriguez was told he could face life in prison or the death penalty if he is found guilty.

He remained calm throughout the hearing, paying attention to the proceedings throughout and confirmed that he is asking the court to appoint an attorney on his behalf.

He will next appear at a federal court in Washington DC on 18 June.

Murdered couple ‘were perfect for each other’

Meanwhile, Ms Milgrim’s father, Robert, says he feared his daughter might be in danger when he saw news alerts of a fatal shooting in Washington DC.

Ms Milgrim’s mother Nancy opened a phone locator app and saw Ms Milgrim was at the Capital Jewish Museum.

“Shortly after that, the Israeli ambassador called us on my wife’s phone,” Mr Milgrim told Sky News’ partner network NBC News, fighting back tears.

He added that it was the ambassador who told them Mr Lischinksy had bought a ring and was planning to propose to Ms Milgrim.

“They were perfect for each other, he said.

Mr Milgrim continued: “They just brought us joy, and her memory, which is a blessing, will continue to bring us joy – but it’s not the same as her not being here.”

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