Former President Trump on Tuesday ripped into Judge Juan Merchan as Merchan weighs arguments over whether the former president violated a gag order imposed on him in his hush money case.
“HIGHLY CONFLICTED, TO PUT IT MILDLY, JUDGE JUAN MERCHAN, HAS TAKEN AWAY MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH,” Trump wrote on Truth Social shortly after arguments over the gag order concluded. “EVERYBODY IS ALLOWED TO TALK AND LIE ABOUT ME, BUT I AM NOT ALLOWED TO DEFEND MYSELF. THIS IS A KANGAROO COURT, AND THE JUDGE SHOULD RECUSE HIMSELF!”
Prosecutors with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office claim Trump has so far violated the order barring him from attacking witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and the judge’s family 10 times. They are asking the judge to fine Trump $1,000 for each violation.
Trump attorney Todd Blanche argued the former president was responding to political attacks against him and insisted there was “absolutely no willful violation” of the gag order in any of the 10 posts.
But prosecutors disputed that premise, arguing Trump’s posts should not be considered political just because the former president added “MAGA” to them. Prosecutors also argued Trump’s posts should not be excepted from the gag order just because they are reposts of other accounts.
Merchan appeared skeptical of Blanche’s arguments, telling Trump’s attorney he was losing credibility. The judge said he would reserve a decision on the alleged gag order violations, while witness testimony was slated to continue on Tuesday.
Trump has relentlessly attacked Merchan in the case, blasting him as “conflicted” on a daily basis and calling on the judge to recuse himself. Merchan has refused to recuse himself, saying Trump’s team’s arguments relied on “a series of references, innuendos and unsupported speculation.”
