Trump calls judge ‘crooked’ after he was warned of jail if he violates gag order

Former US president Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign rally on Wednesday in Wisconsin (Morry Gash/AP)

Donald Trump returned briefly to the campaign trail on Wednesday and called the judge presiding over his hush money trial “crooked” a day after he was held in contempt of court and threatened with jail for violating a gag order.

Mr Trump’s remarks at events in the battleground states of Wisconsin and Michigan were being closely watched after he received a $9,000 fine for making public statements about people connected to the criminal case.