Judge Juan Merchan, the presiding judge in the hush money trial in New York, was criticized by President-elect Donald Trump for his refusal to vacate the conviction in light of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on presidential immunity.
In two extensive posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump expressed his opinion that the judge’s decision was a violation of the U.S. Constitution and suggested that the gag order was intended to shield the judge and his family from scrutiny.
“BREAKING: In a completely illegal, psychotic order, the deeply conflicted, corrupt, biased, and incompetent Acting Justice Juan Merchan has completely disrespected the United States Supreme Court, and its Historic Decision on Immunity. But even without Immunity, this illegitimate case is nothing but a Rigged Hoax.” Trump said.
“Merchan, who is a radical partisan, wrote an opinion that is knowingly unlawful, goes against our Constitution, and, if allowed to stand, would be the end of the Presidency as we know it. Merchan has so little respect for the Constitution that he is keeping in place an illegal gag order on me, your President and President-Elect, just so I cannot expose his and his family’s disqualifying and illegal conflicts …” he added.
Statement from President Donald J. Trump on the illegal, psychotic order from the deeply conflicted, corrupt, biased, and incompetent Acting Justice Juan Merchan pic.twitter.com/ljTuy6B5Cd
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) December 17, 2024
“[It] is a nonexistent case, barred by the Statute of Limitations, and should have never been brought and, through his fraud and misconduct, [Merchan] gave it a semblance of ‘life.’ While Deranged Jack Smith was sent packing back to The Hague after losing all of his politically manufactured cases against me, Merchan, who is far worse and even more corrupt than Smith in his fight for my hopeless political opponents, just cannot let go of this charade. Is it because of his conflicts and relations that he keeps breaking the Law? This has to stop! It is time to end the Lawfare once and for all, so we can come together as one Nation and, Make America Great Again.” he concluded.
In his 41-page decision, Merchan concurred with prosecutors’ contention that the evidence against Trump in that case was exclusively related to his personal conduct, rather than any official acts.
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