In a recent series of volatile social media posts, former President Donald Trump has continued his pattern of attacking judges and the judiciary system, this time falsely accusing the daughter of Judge Juan Merchan of being involved in a conspiracy against him. This attack comes on the heels of Merchan issuing a gag order in Trump’s upcoming criminal hush-money trial in New York, which restricts Trump from making public statements about potential witnesses, court staff, prosecutors, and their families.
Trump’s diatribe, posted on Truth Social, his own platform, singled out Judge Merchan as having “an acute case of Trump Derangement Syndrome” and alleged that Merchan’s daughter had posted a photo of him behind bars. The former president wrote, “Judge Juan Merchan… whose daughter represents Crooked Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff, and other Radical Liberals, has just posted a picture of me behind bars, her obvious goal, and makes it completely impossible for me to get a fair trial.”
However, a spokesperson for the New York Office of Court Administration, Al Baker, clarified that the social media account Trump referred to does not belong to Merchan’s daughter. Baker stated, “The [social media] account being attributed to Judge Merchan’s daughter no longer belongs to her since she deleted it approximately a year ago. It is not linked to her email address, nor has she posted under that screenname since she deleted the account. Rather, it represents the reconstitution, last April, and manipulation of an account she long ago abandoned.”
Following his initial post, Trump swiftly proceeded with what he dubbed “Page 2” of his provocative and deceptive rant. He expressed, “So, let me get this straight, the Judge’s daughter is allowed to post pictures of her ‘dream’ of putting me in jail, the Manhattan D.A. is able to say whatever lies about me he wants, the Judge can violate our Laws and Constitution at every turn, but I am not allowed to talk about the attacks against me, and the Lunatics trying to destroy my life, and prevent me from winning the 2024 Presidential Election, which I am dominating? Maybe the Judge is such a hater because his daughter makes money by working to ‘Get Trump,’ and when he rules against me over and over again, he is making her company, and her, richer and richer. How can this be allowed?”
Since Trump’s indictment, Merchan’s daughter, who presides over a political consulting firm catering to Democratic candidates, along with others, has been bombarded with death threats.
Trump, who is entangled in four criminal trials, has sought to delay all proceedings until after the November 2024 election. In the case overseen by Merchan, Trump faces a 34-count indictment alleging falsification of business records regarding a $130,000 hush-money payment. Trump allegedly instructed attorney/fixer Michael Cohen to make this payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election in an effort to conceal their purported sexual encounter. Trump maintains his innocence and denies ever engaging in sexual relations with Daniels.
Relevant articles:
– X Account Trump Cited in Attacks on Judge’s Daughter Isn’t Even Hers: Court
– Trump ramps up attacks on judge in hush money case after gag order, NBC News, Wed, 27 Mar 2024 19:05:00 GMT
– “Not wise”: Trump goes after judge’s daughter one day after being hit with gag order, Salon, Wed, 27 Mar 2024 16:34:00 GMT
– Trump tests gag order by again attacking daughter of hush money trial judge: Live, The Independent, Wed, 27 Mar 2024 21:31:02 GMT