Former President Donald Trump voiced his concerns on Monday regarding the judge overseeing his criminal trial in New York, stating that he has a “real problem” with the judge’s handling of the case. Trump’s comments came after the opening day of his trial in Manhattan, where jury selection took place.
“We’re not going to be given a fair trial,” Trump told reporters outside the courtroom, expressing dissatisfaction with Judge Juan Merchan. Trump criticized Merchan for rejecting his request to attend a Supreme Court hearing scheduled for next week, arguing that as a former president, he should be immune from criminal prosecution.
“The judge, of course, is not going to allow us to go to that,” Trump said, suggesting that Merchan considers himself superior to the Supreme Court. Trump’s attorneys had previously requested that Merchan recuse himself from the case, a request that was denied.
Trump denounced the trial, brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, as a “political witch hunt” and expressed frustration that the proceedings were interfering with his potential 2024 White House bid. He emphasized his absence from campaign activities in states like Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina, attributing it to the trial.
The charges against Trump involve allegations of falsifying business records related to payments made to a porn star just days before the 2016 presidential election. The payments were purportedly made to conceal a 2006 sexual encounter. Trump’s trial marks the first instance of a former president facing criminal charges.