Donald Trump’s “hush money” trial, the first of four criminal cases the former president faces, began on April 15 with him taking little time to attack Judge Juan Merchan’s early decision-making.
The presumed 2024 GOP presidential nominee has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of illegally falsifying business records to hide payments to adult-film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 White House campaign. While the former president has said he reimbursed the $130,000 his then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels, he denies having an affair with her.
After the trial’s opening day, Donald Trump took to social media to complain that Merchan had prohibited him from attending son Barron Trump’s graduation in late May because of the trial, calling the judge “seriously conflicted and corrupt.”
JNI/Star Max/GC Images
The Claim
A post on Truth Social by Donald Trump, published on April 15, said he would not be allowed to attend his son’s graduation ceremony because Judge Juan Merchan wanted him in court.
He 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’ which, according to virtually all Legal Scholars and Pundits, has no merit, and should NEVER have been brought.
“This Fake Case is solely meant to attack Crooked Joe Biden’s Political Opponent, ME, who is seriously leading him in the Polls, for purposes of Election Interference. The Judge, Juan Merchan, is preventing me from proudly attending my son’s Graduation. Seems very unfair, doesn’t it?”
The Facts
Donald Trump’s disdain was shared by some of his strongest MAGA allies. Kari Lake, a Republican Senate candidate from Arizona, posted on X, formerly Twitter: “I am heartbroken for President Trump & Barron.
“All the hard work our kids put into graduating, & President Trump is being robbed of getting to experience his son’s High School graduation ceremony.
“This corrupt judge is heartless & cruel.” The post, published Monday, has received more than 741,000 views.
However, Merchan has not barred Donald Trump from attending his son’s graduation.
At the trial Monday, Merchan said he had received requests from Donald Trump’s attorneys asking whether he could attend Barron Trump’s graduation on May 17, more than four weeks away, at the Oxbridge Academy in Palm Beach, Florida. The Associated Press said one of the former president’s lawyers also requested the trial not be held on June 3 so he could attend his own son’s graduation.
As reported by AP, Merchan did not say Donald Trump would not be able to attend the graduation. He commented that it was too early to make a decision.
“It really depends on if we are on time and where we are in the trial,” Merchan said.
AP added that if the trial proceeded as planned, Merchan would be willing to adjourn for one or both days.
Merchan has previously said the trial may take up to six weeks. Jury selection in the trial is expected to last for two weeks. Donald Trump is expected to appear in court throughout the week during the trial, except on Wednesdays.
Newsweek has contacted a media representative for Donald Trump for comment.
Merchan has, however, refused other absence requests from Donald Trump. The judge denied the former president’s request to be excused from the trial next week so he could attend a Supreme Court hearing on his presidential immunity claims.
Donald Trump’s lead defense attorney also requested that the former president be allowed to attend the Supreme Court hearing scheduled for April 25, where justices are set to hear oral arguments on whether Donald Trump is protected from facing criminal charges for actions he took while in office.
Merchan said the former president was “a criminal defendant” who was “required to be here,” adding, “I will see him here next week.”
The Ruling
False.
Donald Trump has not been barred from attending his son’s graduation. On the first day of the trial, Judge Juan Merchan responded to a request from the former president’s legal team to approve the absence.
Merchan said it “depends on if we are on time and where we are in the trial.” He added that if the trial proceeded as planned, he would be willing to adjourn for that day.
FACT CHECK BY Newsweek’s Fact Check team
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.