Trump Again Escalates Attack on Judge’s Daughter Despite Gag Order
Donald Trump is still tiptoeing around violating the gag order in his hush-money trial, this time launching fresh vitriol at Judge Juan Merchan’s daughter while referring her to his followers by name.
“Judge Juan Merchan is totally compromised, and should be removed from this TRUMP Non-Case immediately,” Trump posted on Truth Social Thursday afternoon. “His Daughter, Loren, is a Rabid Trump Hater, who has admitted to having conversations with her father about me, and yet he gagged me.”
“She works for Crooked Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff, and other Radical Leftists who Campaign on ‘Getting Trump,’ and fundraise off the ‘Biden Indictments’—including this Witch Hunt, which her father ‘presides’ over, a TOTAL Conflict—and attacking Biden’s Political Opponent through the Courts. Former D.A. Cy Vance refused to bring this case, as did all Federal Agencies, including ‘Elections,’” he continued.
Trump’s new line of attack against Merchan’s daughter comes after he targeted her for allegedly sharing a doctored photo of Trump behind bars on social media. That theory was quickly debunked after a representative for the New York state court system pointed out that the account wasn’t hers.
Judge Merchan is overseeing Trump’s first criminal trial and the only one currently scheduled to take place before the election. On Tuesday, Trump won himself a gag order after attacking Merchan’s daughter. The partial gag order forbids Trump from speaking publicly about courtroom staff, prosecutors, or any of their family members. Comments about jurors are also prohibited, as well as comments about witnesses—but wiggle room still exists within the order that allows Trump to attack Merchan or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
It remains to be seen what, if any, consequences there will be for the continued attacks.
Trump should be no stranger to the legality of gag orders—so far, he’s been hit with them in two of his other legal trials. In October, Judge Arthur Engoron silenced the former president after he ushered a scourge of far-right vitriol onto Engoron’s chief law clerk. Trump was later fined $15,000 for violating the order. Judge Tanya Chutkan also imposed a gag order on the former president in his election interference trial.