Trump says hush money judge is running ‘rough shod’ over his lawyers

Former President Trump complained Tuesday morning that the judge handling his hush money trial in New York City was “running rough shod” over his legal team and bemoaned a gag order that has restricted what he can say about witnesses in the case.

Trump took to social media to rip Judge Juan Merchan, without naming him, just before the former president headed back to the courthouse for the second day of his trial.

“This conflicted, Trump Hating Judge won’t let me respond to people that are on TV lying and spewing hate all day long. He is running rough shod over my lawyers and legal team,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The New York System of ‘Justice’ is being decimated by critics from all over the World. I want to speak, or at least be able to respond. Election Interference! RIGGED, UNCONSTITUTIONAL TRIAL! Take off the Gag Order!!!”

Trump’s diatribe followed an at times contentious first day of proceedings in his hush money trial, where he is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records related to reimbursements to his then-fixer, Michael Cohen, who paid adult film actor Stormy Daniels $130,000 just before the 2016 election to stay quiet about an alleged affair with Trump, which the former president denies.

Assistant District Attorney Chris Conroy said Trump in three recent Truth Social posts violated a gag order imposed by Merchan barring him from attacking witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and the judge’s family.

Conroy asked that Trump be fined $1,000 for each post and be reminded he can be jailed if he continues violating the gag order. The judge did not immediately rule on the request following a court break in proceedings. He opted instead to set an April 23 hearing date where he’ll hear arguments on the prosecution’s ask.

Trump and his team also clashed with Merchan after the judge did not immediately agree to allow Trump to miss court to attend his son Barron’s high school graduation in May. Under New York state law, Trump is required to attend the entirety of his trial unless he gets special permission from the judge to skip.