Former President Donald Trump slammed New York Judge Juan Merchan following Monday’s criminal trial court proceedings after the judge threatened that the former president could face jail time if he misses a court appearance to attend his son’s graduation.
During the first day of Trump’s criminal trial regarding the 34 felony counts brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg over claims that the former president paid $130,000 in hush-money payments to adult film actor Stormy Daniels and falsified business records during his 2016 election campaign, Merchan warned Trump that he would be arrested if he did not appear at court proceedings and that the criminal trial could continue even if Trump was in jail.
In a video shared on social media by The Post Millennial, Trump told reporters that Merchan might not allow him to attend his son Barron Trump’s upcoming graduation on May 17.
“My son has graduated from high school, and it looks like the judge will not let me go to the graduation of my son, who has worked very very hard. He’s a great student, and very proud of the fact that he did so well, and was looking forward for years to have graduation with his mother and father there.”
Trump added, “Looks like the judge isn’t gonna allow me to escape this scam.”
According to The New York Post, Trump’s legal team asked Merchan not to hold trial proceedings on May 17 so Trump could attend his son’s graduation at Oxbridge Academy in Palm Beach, Florida. In response to the former president’s request, Merchan said, “It really depends on if we are on time and where we are in the trial.”
READ MORE: Trump may be arrested if he skips court, judge warns
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Who will explain for me, to my wonderful son, Barron, who is a GREAT Student at a fantastic School, that his Dad will likely not be allowed to attend his Graduation Ceremony, something that we have been talking about for years, because a seriously Conflicted and Corrupt New York State Judge wants me in Criminal Court on a bogus ‘Biden Case.'”
In addition to potentially missing his son’s graduation, Trump told reporters that the judge’s threat to have him arrested for failing to appear at the criminal trial would prevent him from attending next week’s Supreme Court proceedings in his immunity case appeal.
The former president also claimed that the “radical left Democrats” are getting “exactly what they want” by forcing him to remain in court instead of campaigning in the presidential election.
