Controversy Surrounds Trump Ahead of Presidency
With just over two weeks until his inauguration, Donald Trump is once again at the center of a scandal. Following Judge Juan Merchan’s decision to schedule a sentencing hearing for January 10, Trump has denounced the move as an “illegitimate political attack.”
Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to express his discontent. “This illegitimate political attack is nothing more than a rigged farce,” he wrote. “Judge Merchan, a radical partisan, has issued another order that is deliberately illegal and goes against our Constitution.”
Trump also criticized Judge Merchan for maintaining an “illegal censure order” against him, which he claims prevents him from exposing the judge’s alleged conflicts of interest. Trump is set to take office on January 20.
Case Background
Last Friday, Judge Merchan rejected a request from Trump’s defense team to dismiss the case, citing concerns about the doctrine of presidential immunity. Trump was found guilty in May and is now facing sentencing. Despite this, Judge Merchan has indicated that the sentence will not include prison time.
Trump has been ordered to appear in person or virtually at the sentencing hearing on January 10 at 9:30 a.m. local time (2:30 p.m. GMT). The hearing is expected to draw significant attention, given the high-profile nature of the case and Trump’s impending presidency.