Good morning from New York.

Before jurors hear a word of witness testimony this morning, the court has an unfinished order of business: Trump's contempt hearing over the gag order.

Follow every wrinkle of it and the trial here. 🧵

ICYMI, openings 🔗 justsecurity.org/94927/trump-tr…

'What have we done?'

— Stormy Daniels' then-lawyer's text message to the National Enquirer's then-editor in chief on election night 2016, as Trump's inched toward victory

ICYMI: Lawrence O'Donnell unpacked the blockbuster line on The Last Word. x.com/TheLastWord/st…

What's the exact language of the gag order and the alleged violations?

Norm Eisen (#TryingTrump out now!), Karen F Agnifilo, Andrew Warren, Jacob Kovacs Goodman, and Siven Watt lay them out—with copious screenshots—here.

They offer their analysis and predictions at @Just_Security.

justsecurity.org/94878/why-trum…

This is the current language of the order.

Expect it to be parsed, in molecular fashion, during the morning session.

Trump has entered the courtroom and is now seated at the defense table.

He's back to the usual red tie.

Trump flinches a bit the moment the photojournalist pool sets up in front of him for their daily photos.

The session, as usual, is brief, and they're led out of the courtroom.

'All rise.'

Justice Merchan enters and assumes the bench.

The attorneys register their appearances.

Merchan: 'Good morning, Mr. Trump.'

Per @BenFeuerherd in the hallway press pool:

'Trump ignored questions about why he did not appeal his DC gag order, if he'll continue to post about the witnesses, what he would do to quell protests at college campuses and if he thinks Michael Cohen is a 'sleaze bag.''

Merchan:

'Two matters have been called into the record.

On April 15, prosecutors 'asked this court to sign an order to show cause' on allegations that Trump violated the gag order on three occasions.

On April 18, they did so again on seven more alleged violations.

ADA Christopher Conroy:

The court found the 'types of extrajudicial statements' Trump made pose a 'very real threat' to the integrity of the proceedings.

Yesterday, 'here in this building, right outside those doors [...] the defendant violated the order again on camera.'