Former President Donald Trump condemned his criminal trial on Tuesday, citing fresh polling that supports his premise of the political nature of the case.
Only about one-third of U.S. adults believe Trump did something illegal regarding the case, an AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found Tuesday.
Democrat Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged Trump with 34 felonies, accusing him of falsifying documents to conceal a sex scandal. The trial is the first criminal trial of a president of the United States. Trump could face jail time if convicted.
Trump said that New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan will prevent him from campaigning, appearing at the Supreme Court, and celebrating at his son’s graduation.
“We have a Trump-hating judge,” Trump told reporters Tuesday. “We have a judge who shouldn’t be on this case. He’s totally conflicted. But this is a trial that should never happen or should have been thrown out a long time ago.”
— Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) April 16, 2024
“This was a trial that should have never been brought. It’s a trial that is being looked upon, looked at all over the world that they’re looking at it and analyzing it. Every legal pundit, every legal scholar, said this trial is a disgrace,” Trump said. “If you look at Jonathan Turley, Andy McCarthy — all great legal scholars. There is not one that we’ve been able to find that said we should be in trial.”
Trump also weighed into legal arguments against the case.
“I was paying a lawyer and legal expense account, marking it down as a legal expense. That’s exactly what it was, and you get indicted over that?” Trump questioned. “Check it out. Legal expenses, legal expense, that’s what you’re supposed to call it.”
Trump then took aim at Biden and linked his own legal challenges to the White House.
“This is all coming from the White House because the guy can’t put two sentences together,” Trump said. “He can’t campaign — using this to try and win the election. And it’s not working that way. It’s working the opposite way … Just look at the polls. This is a sham trial.”
“I should be right now in Pennsylvania and in many other states, North Carolina, Georgia, campaigning,” Trump added:
Trump: "This trial is a disgrace ... This is a trial that should never happen" pic.twitter.com/fdGEmrj98g
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) April 16, 2024
The case is New York v. Trump, No. 71543-23, in the New York Supreme Court for New York County.
Wendell Husebo is a political reporter with Breitbart News and a former GOP War Room Analyst. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality. Follow Wendell on “X” @WendellHusebø or on Truth Social @WendellHusebo.
