'This never happens': Watergate prosecutor stunned by Trump's latest behavior

Former Watergate prosecutor Nick Akerman told CNN's Fredricka Whitfield that the level of contempt and open hostility former President Donald Trump has for courts deciding his fate is something he's never seen in his entire experience in the criminal justice system.

This comes as New York Judge Juan Merchan becomes the latest to impose a gag order on Trump in the hush money trial, to stop his attacks on court officers and witnesses — something in the past he has been fined for violating.

"I really want to get into this gag order with a New York Supreme Court judge, who imposes this limited gag order on Donald Trump because the history of Donald Trump disrespecting the court," said Whitfield. "This is now necessary, isn't it?"

Akerman agreed. "It is," he said.

ALSO READ: A criminologist explains why Judge Cannon must step away from Trump trial immediately

The important fact of the situation, he continued, is that "this is so unusual, this never happens. In over 50 years of law practice, both as a prosecutor, a defense lawyer — it's not done. And the reason it's not done is because once you start disparaging the judge, disparaging people in the courtroom, you're putting yourself in harm's way, because that's the judge who's going to sentence you. It's the judge who could send you to jail or give you probation. So you don't do those sorts of things."

Trump, he emphasized, is "the only one I have ever seen do this, and do it in such an outrageous way that is really forced the courts to deal with, where does the First Amendment stop and where do we need a gag order in order to protect the judicial system?"

Merchan imposed the gag order Tuesday to stop Trump disparaging court staff and witnesses as his hush money trial approaches.

Watch the video below or at the link here.

Nick Akerman stunned by Trump's attacks on judges www.youtube.com