The Manhattan district attorney's office has filed its formal request to hold former President Trump in contempt over a series of recent social media posts that, among other things, call witnesses Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels "sleaze bags."

Prosecutors said yesterday that three of Trump's social media posts this month "plainly violate" Judge Merchan's limited gag order because they target known witnesses who will testify at the trial.

"And defendant's violations were knowing and willful -- indeed, they are the latest in what this Court has already recognized as a deliberate strategy to impede this criminal trial," prosecutors wrote in Tuesday's filing. "To be sure, defendant has loudly and repeatedly complained that the order is unlawful, in both court filings and other public statements. But no court has agreed with his objections, and a defendant's mere disagreement with a court's order is no defense to criminal contempt."

Defense attorneys have insisted Trump was responding to "repeated, salacious, demon attacks" by Daniels and Cohen.

The judge has scheduled a hearing on the matter next Tuesday.

Former President Trump has reclaimed his seat at the defendant's table, Judge Juan Merchan is back on the bench -- and the second day of the criminal trial of the former president is underway.

Trump greeted court officers upon arrival, mouthing to one, "How are you?" as he made his way down the aisle accompanied by lawyers Todd Blanche, Susan Necheles and Emil Bove.

Trump is once again seated between Blanche and Bove.

The three men appeared to be in and out of conversation as they awaited the judge, with Trump periodically looking down at the desk or at the monitor in front of him.

Former President Trump, addressing reporters on his way into court, defended the way payments were made to his former attorney Michael Cohen, pushing back on the crux of the DA's case that they were improperly labeled as legal expenses.

"I was paying a lawyer and I marked it down as a legal expense, some accountant," Trump said. "I didn't know. That's exactly what it was."

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has accused Trump of improperly labeling the money as legal expenses to Cohen in order to hide that the funds were to repay hush money paid to Stormy Daniels to boost Trump's electoral prospects.

"Legal expense -- that's what you're supposed to call it," Trump said.

"This is a trial that should never happen, it should have been thrown out," he said.

Former President Trump has arrived at the courthouse for the second day of jury selection.

Unlike Monday when a small group of supporters and protesters greeted the former president, there were essentially none at the courthouse this morning.

He again railed on social media against the limited gag order that prevents him from targeting witnesses and others associated with the case.

"I want to speak, or at least be able to respond," Trump wrote on his social media platform, attacking Judge Juan Merchan and again claiming the trial is "election interference."

ABC News' Soo Rin Kim and Lalee Ibssa contributed to this report.

According to former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, Michael Cohen pushed for the National Enquirer to keep doorman Dino Sajudin locked into a contract until after the 2016 election, even though the story Sajudin was shopping about Trump having a love child were untrue.

"I told Michael Cohen the story was not true. I told him that the doorman is very difficult to deal with," Pecker testified.

Cohen had earlier encouraged Pecker to add a $1 million penalty to Sajudin's contract if he broke the agreement and tried to shop around the story.

"He would breach this agreement and owe American Media a million dollars," Pecker said. "It was basically a lever over him to make sure that wouldn't happen."

Cohen encouraged Pecker to keep Sajudin locked in, according to the former publisher.

"I am going release him one way or the other," Pecker said he told Cohen regarding Sajudin. "He said, 'No, release him after the election.'"

"When was he released?" prosecutor Joshua Steinglass asked Pecker.

"December 9, 2016," Pecker said.

"After the presidential election?" Steinglass asked.

"Yes," Pecker responded.