Trump wasted no time going after the judge. Just after his arraignment in April 2023, he posted on Truth Social calling Merchan biased and claiming the judge “hates me.” He said Merchan “must be changed.” Things escalated further in March 2024 once Merchan locked in a trial date and issued a limited gag order. Trump called it illegal, un American, and a violation of his First Amendment rights, framing it as part of a Democratic scheme to weaponize the courts against him. He also suggested, without any evidence, that Merchan was protecting his daughter’s political consulting business.
