President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday delivered a scathing critique of the judiciary, targeting the Manhattan judges involved in his legal cases and accusing the Department of Justice (DOJ) of political bias.
He made his points in a series of posts on Truth Social, condemning the legal battles he has faced since his presidency.
Trump condemns Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who oversaw his criminal trial for falsifying business records. Trump labelled the judge “corrupt” and accused him of being an operative of the Biden administration. “I never falsified business records. It is a fake, made-up charge by a corrupt judge doing the work of the Biden/Harris Injustice Department — an attack on their political opponent,” Trump wrote.
He disputed the basis of the charges, stating, “A legal expense was called, on the books, a legal expense. There was nothing else it could have been called. This was the so-called falsifying of records. I was hiding nothing; everything was open for all to see.”
Trump was convicted in May on 34 felony counts related to hush-money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Justice Merchan drew further controversy recently when he scheduled Trump’s sentencing just 10 days before his inauguration as president of the United States.
Trump’s ire also extended to Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur F. Engoron, who presided over a civil fraud case that resulted in a half-billion-dollar fine.
Trump blasted Engoron, calling him “the most overturned judge in New York,” and criticized the court’s valuation of his Mar-a-Lago estate.
“Another corrupt Judge valued Mar-a-Lago at $18,000,000 when it is worth 50 to 100 times that amount,” Trump claimed.
The former president’s remarks referenced ongoing appeals in the civil case in which he was found liable for financial misrepresentation. Trump’s legal team disputes the decision and seeks to overturn the judgment.
Trump’s posts also referenced E. Jean Carroll, the writer awarded nearly $100 million in damages for her sexual assault claims against him. Trump has continuously denied the allegations, describing Carroll as “the woman I never met.”
Additionally, Trump called out former special counsel Jack Smith, referring to him as “Deranged.” Smith led investigations into Trump’s handling of classified documents after his presidency. Trump attributed his legal troubles to a politicized justice system.
“This is why people and companies are FLEEING New York — A corrupt court system,” Trump asserted, blaming the DOJ for its involvement in his cases. He concluded with a claim that no president has been subjected to “such evil and illegal treatment” as he has endured.
These remarks come amid ongoing appeals and legal battles as Trump prepares to reclaim the presidency. His statements have drawn sharp reactions from legal experts and political commentators, further fueling debates about the judiciary’s role in high-profile political cases.
