Former US President Donald Trump made headlines once again as he appeared in the Manhattan criminal court in New York on Thursday, April 18, 2024. The trial surrounding Trump’s alleged involvement in hush money payments took a dramatic turn as he took to social media to criticize the judge and trial proceedings.
Trump referred to the trial as a “witch hunt” and called for the judge to be removed from the case. His attorneys also made a request to delay the trial and move it to a new location citing concerns of bias among New York City residents. However, the request was quickly rejected by a Manhattan appeals court.
Despite Trump’s efforts to postpone the trial, opening arguments are set to begin on Monday as scheduled by Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan. Trump is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.
In a surprising turn of events, Trump’s social media rants against the judge and others involved in the trial have violated a gag order imposed in March. Prosecutors have asked for sanctions and warned of potential jail time for future violations. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday to address the prosecutors’ request for sanctions against Trump.
The trial has drawn significant attention as the former President continues to be at the center of controversy. Stay tuned for updates on this high-profile case as it unfolds in the coming days.
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