Former President Donald Trump has initiated a verbal onslaught against the daughter of the judge who will be presiding over his impending criminal trial in New York.
What Happened: Trump has singled out Loren Merchan, the daughter of New York State Justice Juan Merchan. The judge is set to preside over a case concerning allegations that Trump concealed hush-money payments during the 2016 election. The trial is slated to begin on April 15, reported Politico.
Trump voiced his dissatisfaction on Truth Social, stating, “Judge Juan Merchan is totally compromised, and should be removed from this TRUMP Non-Case immediately. His Daughter, Loren, is a Rabid Trump Hater, who has admitted to having conversations with her father about me, and yet he gagged me.”
Trump’s remarks are in reference to a gag order imposed by the judge earlier in the week, which forbids Trump from attacking any potential witnesses, lawyers, court staff, or their families. The judge also dismissed a request from Trump’s legal team to delay the trial.
Trump also targeted Loren Merchan on Wednesday, citing a social media account that he claimed was hers, featuring an image of Trump behind bars. The court, however, clarified that the account did not belong to Merchan.
Why It Matters: This incident follows a series of events leading up to the trial. On March 25, Judge Merchan set the trial date for April 15, despite attempts by Trump’s legal team to have the case dismissed. Subsequently, Merchan imposed a gag order on Trump, barring him from attacking witnesses, prosecutors, or jurors. This order was granted after the Manhattan district attorney’s office requested it earlier this year.
Following the imposition of the gag order, Trump lashed out at Judge Merchan and his daughter on social media, leading to further commentary from Mary Trump, the former President’s niece. She noted that this gag order was different from previous ones, as it specifically prohibited Trump from making public statements about known or reasonably foreseeable witnesses.
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