Donald Trump went on an all-caps tirade demanding the removal of Judge Juan Merchan before a contempt hearing related to his attacks on Truth Social. Facing a criminal trial on 34 felony counts, Trump accused the trial of being a ‘witch hunt’ orchestrated by Democrats and presided over by a conflicted judge. Legal experts noted that Trump’s defiance of a gag order could lead to financial sanctions or even jail time. The former president’s actions were described as showing contempt for the court and the law.
Former President Trump indicated that he is willing to testify in his first criminal trial in Manhattan, which could be a win for the prosecution according to legal experts. Trump’s lawyers have fought against bringing up civil court losses, while prosecutors argue that such information is crucial to assessing Trump’s credibility. The trial is expected to last four to six weeks, with the verdict likely to be issued before the GOP selects its general election nominee.
Former President Trump warned of the consequences of losing his presidential immunity, stating that if he loses it, so will ‘crooked’ President Joe Biden. Trump argues that without immunity, the presidency’s power and prestige would diminish, leaving it vulnerable to extortion and blackmail. He believes that immunity is crucial for a president to function properly and prevent the opposing party from indicting former presidents. Trump’s criminal trial on charges related to hush money payments awaits the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity, expected by mid-June.
Trump pleaded not guilty to charges brought against him by Special Counsel Jack Smith, claiming immunity. He expressed concerns that the presidency would be consumed by other branches of government without immunity. Trump highlighted the risk of former presidents being indicted immediately by the opposing party if immunity is not granted, jeopardizing the functioning of the presidency. The Supreme Court is fast-tracking Trump’s appeal on presidential immunity, delaying his criminal trial.
Meanwhile, Trump is required to attend his New York City criminal trial daily, with the trial expected to last through early June. His attorneys’ request to delay the trial until after the Supreme Court’s ruling on immunity was denied. Trump sought permission to attend the Supreme Court arguments on immunity, but the judge overseeing the trial declined. The Supreme Court is set to rule on the issue by mid-June, impacting Trump’s criminal trial charges brought by Smith.
The Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity will determine the course of Trump’s criminal trial, which is on hold pending the decision. Trump faces charges related to conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstructing official proceedings. This marks the second time this term that the Supreme Court is hearing a case involving Trump, following a recent ruling in his favor regarding ballot access challenges in Colorado.
Senate Democrats swiftly dismissed the impeachment articles against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, much to the dismay of Texas Republicans and other GOP members who sought a full Senate trial. Despite efforts by Republicans to debate and consider the Constitution and the law, Democrats, holding the majority, voted to dismiss the charges brought by the House on the grounds of being unconstitutional.
Mayorkas was impeached by the House in February, on the orders of Donald Trump as revenge for his two impeachments. Mayorkas was accused by Republicans of failing to enforce border laws and lying to Congress, neither of which Republicans were able to provide evidence for, and in fact Mayorkas leading the bi-partisan border negotiations at the exact same time Trump’s lackies were pushing for impeachment shows how dishonest Republicans have always been around impeachment dating back to Bill Clinton.
Republicans introduced various procedural motions to delay the dismissal, highlighting concerns about the southern border crisis and the constitutionality of not holding a trial. The Senate Democrats’ decision was criticized by GOP members like Texas Reps. Michael McCaul and August Pfluger, who emphasized the abandonment of constitutional responsibility.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer led the effort to deem the articles of impeachment unconstitutional, leading to a swift dismissal. Mayorkas, the first cabinet secretary to be impeached in 150 years, maintained focus on advancing the Department of Homeland Security’s missions amidst the impeachment drama.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz expressed disappointment at the lack of a full trial, linking the impeachment to border policies and humanitarian crises. Cruz’s fury at Democrats for not hearing out arguments and the subsequent dismissal by Senate Democrats marked a contentious chapter in the impeachment proceedings.
Former President Donald Trump faced mockery and criticism after confusing late-night host Jimmy Kimmel with actor Al Pacino in a social media rant. Trump’s error-filled diatribe on Truth Social claimed Kimmel stumbled during the Oscars, which was actually presented by Pacino. The confusion led to Trump being labeled ‘feeble and confused’ by opponents.
Despite Trump’s claims of Kimmel’s poor performance, reviews of the 96th Academy Awards were generally positive, with ratings climbing for the third consecutive year. Al Pacino, not Kimmel, announced the Best Picture winner, and the actor’s odd delivery was due to producer instructions to skip reading all nominees again.
The Biden-Harris campaign quickly seized on Trump’s misstep, highlighting it as another example of his confusion and flubs. The incident underscores the former president’s tendency to make complete misstatements, providing ammunition for his critics.
Trump’s mix-up between Kimmel and Pacino was widely criticized, with the incident showcasing his penchant for errors and misinformation. The confusion further fueled the ongoing narrative of Trump’s struggles with accuracy and his opponents’ efforts to capitalize on his missteps.
The video shows two passing trucks on the road, both covered in US flags and flags claiming support for the police.
The second truck was emblazoned with the words “Trump 2024”, and the rear of the vehicle features an image of Mr Biden with his hands and feet tied.
Mr Trump’s promotion of the video drew criticism from Mr Biden campaign’s team.
“Trump is regularly inciting political violence and it’s time people take him seriously – just ask the Capitol police officers who were attacked protecting our democracy on 6 January,” spokesman Michael Tyler said, referring to the storming of Congress by the former president’s supporters after he falsely claimed the 2020 election had been stolen from him.
A federal judge rejected former President Donald J. Trump’s attempt to dismiss charges of mishandling classified documents by arguing he converted them into personal property under the Presidential Records Act. Judge Aileen M. Cannon ruled that the act does not provide a pretrial basis to dismiss the case, a victory for special counsel Jack Smith. The judge requested proposed jury instructions on how the act might impact the case. Smith argued against it, emphasizing the act’s irrelevance. Judge Cannon agreed the act wasn’t enough to dismiss the case but hinted discussions on its impact would continue.
Trump’s lawyers claimed the act allowed him to designate sensitive materials as private records, which was legally questioned by Judge Cannon and the appeals court. The ruling may affect another attempt by Trump’s lawyers to have the case dismissed based on presidential immunity from prosecution. The Supreme Court will consider this assertion in another case involving Trump’s alleged election interference. Trump’s lawyers argue that his immunity stems from converting the removed documents into personal property under the act.
There is a prevalent question in both job interviews for Republican positions and potential jurors in Trump’s upcoming trials: ‘Do you believe the 2020 election was stolen?’ Job applicants in key states are being tested for loyalty to Trump, while prosecutors aim to assess juror impartiality. Trump’s first criminal trial, involving ‘hush money’ payments to Stormy Daniels, is set for April. The prosecution sees questioning jurors on the election as a way to gauge impartiality. Trump’s attorney disputes the need for the question, calling it irrelevant to the case. The former president faces 34 felony counts related to covering up an alleged affair with Daniels.
Donald Trump criticizes Judge Merchan for imposing a gag order before his hush-money trial in April, calling for the judge’s immediate recusal and sanction. The case involves allegations that Trump falsified payments to lawyer Michael Cohen, which Trump denies. Trump insists the case is a political witch hunt to interfere with the election. He accuses the DOJ of bias and coordination against him to aid Joe Biden’s reelection. Trump’s attacks on Merchan and his daughter have escalated, claiming a social media post aimed at his imprisonment.
Judge Merchan recently imposed a gag order on Trump, prohibiting public comments about the trial’s participants, except for Merchan and prosecutor criticism. The judge cited Trump’s history of inflammatory remarks as the reason for the order. Trump’s campaign to discredit the case and the judge continues, with accusations of political bias and unjust legal actions.
Trump’s denial of the charges and insistence on the case’s dismissal reflect his ongoing fight against the legal challenges he faces. The upcoming trial is crucial as it marks the first of four criminal cases against Trump. The former president’s rhetoric on the case is central to his campaign narrative as he seeks to regain the presidency.
Despite the gag order, Trump remains vocal on his Truth Social platform, using it as a tool to rally supporters against what he perceives as biased legal proceedings. The escalating conflict between Trump and Judge Merchan underscores the contentious nature of the upcoming trial and its potential implications for Trump’s political future.
In a recent campaign event in Iowa, Donald Trump responded to a high school shooting in Perry by urging the audience to “get over it” and emphasized the need to move forward. Trump’s comments, coming about 36 hours after the incident, marked his first public address on the violence. This echoes a pattern observed in his past remarks, particularly during an April 2023 speech to the National Rifle Association, where he attributed school shootings to factors like Democrats, mental health issues, marijuana, and the transgender community, deflecting from a substantial discussion on gun violence.
Criticism for Trump’s recent comment poured in from the Democratic Super PAC American Bridge, with their communication director Brandon Weathersby condemning Trump’s lack of empathy and asserting that telling Iowans to “get over it” was beyond acceptable even for Trump. Despite facing multiple legal challenges, including 91 criminal charges, civil litigation, and a rape allegation deemed “substantially true” by a judge, Trump maintains strong support in polling for the Republican presidential nomination in the upcoming primaries. The Perry school shooting left one sixth grader dead and seven others injured, with the perpetrator identified as a 17-year-old student who later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
This incident, coupled with Trump’s response, raises questions about the political discourse surrounding gun violence and the adequacy of leadership responses to tragic events. While some may view Trump’s approach as pragmatic, others argue it lacks the necessary empathy and depth needed in addressing the complex issue of school shootings.
Donald Trump’s new ad “God Made Trump” which he promoted on Truth Social reads like a biblical fanfic, casting Donald Trump as America’s divinely ordained hero battling wicked forces. Think a mashup of Adam’s creation (“God looked down…needed a caretaker. So God gave us Trump”) and Moses parting the Red Sea, only instead of Pharaoh, it’s “those darn Marxists.” This potent cocktail of biblical imagery and cult-like persuasion demands a closer look.
The ad employs the classic “Chosen One” trope, imbuing Trump with near-sacred authority. It invokes Genesis, framing his birth as God’s deliberate act, not a mere coincidence. References to John 10:11 paint him as a shepherd guiding his flock through perilous times, fostering a sense of dependence and unquestioning loyalty among supporters. This blurring of the lines between leader and divinely-ordained savior echoes the tactics of biblical cults, where charismatic figures wielded religious authority to control their followers.
But beneath the divine veneer lies a troubling “us vs. them” narrative. The ad paints a dystopian picture of America besieged by “Marxist vipers” and the “deep state serpent,” reminiscent of biblical battles between God’s chosen and their enemies. This stark division solidifies a sense of belonging and exclusivity within the Trump camp, but at the cost of silencing dissent and stifling critical thinking. This tactic mirrors the isolation and groupthink common in biblical cults, where members are encouraged to distrust outsiders and unquestioningly accept the leader’s pronouncements.
Remember, this ad is a masterclass in persuasive messaging, not a factual biography. Fact-checking reveals Trump’s “divine mandate” often translated to late-night tweets and Fox News marathons, not celestial guidance. His self-proclaimed messianic achievements demand nuanced analysis, not divinely-attributed magic. Ultimately, discerning voters, not divine intervention, are the architects of our democracy. Let’s keep faith in the pews and critical thinking in the voting booth. Just because the ad depicts Trump parting America’s political Red Sea doesn’t mean we should blindly follow him into the promised land.
“GOD MADE TRUMP”
“And on June 14th, 1946, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, I need a caretaker.
So God gave us Trump.
God said, I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, fix this country, work all day, fight the Marxists, eat supper, then go to the Oval Office and stay past midnight at a meeting of the heads of state.
So God made Trump.
I need somebody with arms, strong enough to rustle the deep state and yet gentle enough to deliver his own grandchild. Somebody to ruffle the feathers, tame cantankerous World Economic Forum, come home hungry, have to wait until the first lady is done with lunch with friends, then tell the ladies to be sure and come back real soon. And mean it.
So God gave us Trump.
I need somebody who can shape an axe but wield a sword, who had the courage to step foot in North Korea, who can make money from the tar of the sand, turn liquid to gold, who understands the difference between tariffs and inflation, will finish his 40-hour week by Tuesday noon, but then put in another 72 hours.
So God made Trump.
God had to have somebody willing to go into the den of vipers, call out the fake news for their tongues as sharp as a serpent’s, the poison of vipers is on their lips, and yet stop.
So God made Trump.
God said, I need somebody who will be strong and courageous, who will not be afraid or terrified of the wolves when they attack. A man who cares for the flock, a shepherd to mankind who won’t ever leave nor forsake them. I need the most diligent worker to follow the path and remain strong in faith and know the belief of God and country. Somebody who’s willing to drill, bring back manufacturing and American jobs, farm the lands, secure our borders, build our military, fight the system all day, and finish a hard week’s work by attending church on Sunday. And then his oldest son turns and says, dad, let’s make America great again. Dad, let’s build back a country to be the envy of the world again.
