Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Donald Trump warned he is ‘walking a tightrope’ over judge attack

Donald Trump warned he is ‘walking a tightrope’ over judge attack

Donald Trump was warned on Wednesday that he was “walking a tightrope” after he launched a furious attack on the judge presiding over his historic criminal case in New York.
Just hours after pleading not guilty to 34 criminal charges relating to the alleged falsifying of business records, the former president took aim at judge Juan Merchan and New York district attorney Alvin Bragg in a typically bombastic speech to supporters from the ballroom of his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

Despite being warned by Judge Merchan not to make comments that would “incite violence” or “create civil unrest”, Mr Trump described him as a “Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and family”.

Casting the prosecution as a politically-motivated campaign by Democrats to stop his return to the White House, Mr Trump went on to say that Mr Merchan’s daughter worked for Democrat vice-president Kamala Harris.

While some political commentators say the case, which centres on alleged hush money payments of $130,000 to the porn star Stormy Daniels, could bolster his chances of taking back the presidency, others questioned whether his attack on the judge could backfire.

Britain’s former US ambassador Lord Kim Darroch told Sky News: “Given what was said in the court room yesterday I thought he might at least back off on that. Maybe he just couldn’t help himself. But I think that’s quite dangerous.” He warned that it could influence Mr Trump’s punishment if found guilty.

The case is the first time a former American president has faced criminal charges. In a 25-minute speech, Mr Trump lashed out at Mr Bragg for bringing the criminal charges against him. He called it a “fake case” and declared himself the victim of election interference.

“I never thought anything like this could happen in America,” he said. “The only crime that I’ve committed has been to fearlessly defend our nation against those who seek to destroy it.”

Mr Trump also took fresh shots at other legal cases against him. These include US Justice Department investigations into his alleged handling of classified documents after he left the White House in early 2021 and a probe into his alleged role in the January 6 riot at the US Capitol. The case in New York, while considered less serious than some of the other cases he faces, could still lead to a jail sentence for Mr Trump.

But a conviction would not prevent him from serving as president again. Some legal experts have questioned the strength of the case which alleges Mr Trump orchestrated payments to Ms Daniels before the 2016 election to suppress stories about a relationship. The case also features claims that a second woman, Playboy model Karen McDougal, and a Trump Tower doorman also received payments to suppress stories. Mr Bragg said the alleged hush-money scheme constituted “felony crimes in New York state — no matter who you are. We cannot and will not normalise serious criminal conduct”.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Iranian Director Jafar Panahi Wins Palme d'Or at Cannes
Israeli Airstrike Kills Nine Children of Gaza Doctor
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Erupts Again, Spewing Ash Cloud over Flores Island
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
Senate Democrats Move to Censure Trump Over Qatar Jet Gift
Hamas Releases Last Living US Hostage from Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflict
×