Former President Donald Trump described the court proceedings of Monday as a new “Day of Infamy,” after testimony from his former attorney Michael Cohen. Trump also sharply criticized Judge Juan Merchan, who previously found Trump to be in contempt of court following earlier statements.
“This day is truly going to go down as a day of infamy for the New York legal system, which is through the whole world is laughing now at the New York weaponized legal system watching this unfold of that courtroom as a lawyer is really deeply disturbing,” said the former president.
The former president’s statement referred to the speech given by former President Franklin D. Roosevelt after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
Trump’s former attorney argued that Trump directed him to hand over funds to former adult film actress Stormy Daniels after an alleged brief relationship with the former president.
According to Cohen, he paid Daniels $130,000 during the 2016 election cycle to keep news of the alleged liaison out of the news. The former attorney alleged that Trump said that the money needed to be paid to suppress news of the incident and claimed that he discussed the matter with Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg.
Cohen ultimately paid the $130,000 and argued that had he not the news would have been “catastrophic to Mr. Trump and the campaign.”
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) May 13, 2024
“We have a corrupt judge and we have a judge who is highly conflicted, and he’s keeping me from campaigning,” Trump said Monday.
Merchan has twice argued that the former president was in contempt of court for allegedly violating the gag order he set regarding the case. The gag order barred Trump from criticizing the jury, court officials or the prosecution while the case was underway.
Trump’s comments also came after a number of public officials and commentators argued that the former president would likely not be on trial except for his high profile.
Trump denies any wrongdoing in the case.
