Former President Donald Trump lashed out on Monday after learning that Justice Juan Merchan expected him to be in court for every part of his Manhattan hush-money trial — even if that meant missing a Supreme Court hearing on the presidential immunity issue and his son Barron’s high school graduation.
“I was looking forward to that graduation with his mother and father there, and it looks like the judge does not allow me to escape this scam,” Trump told reporters at the New York Supreme Court following the trial’s first day.
The former president’s defense team had asked that the trial break for the day on May 17 so that Trump could attend Barron’s graduation ceremony in Palm Beach, Florida, with his family.
Merchan did not immediately deny the request, saying instead that it would depend on how the trial was progressing at the time. “It really depends on if we are on time and where we are in the trial,” he said.
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Merchan made it clear that he expected Trump to be present throughout the trial — which may last as long as eight weeks and is scheduled every weekday except Wednesdays — even if that meant missing oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court on the issue of presidential immunity.
“Arguing before the Supreme Court is a big deal, and I can certainly appreciate why your client would want to be there, but a trial in New York Supreme Court … is also a big deal,” Merchan said to Trump attorney Todd Blanche. “I will see him here next week.”
Trump lashed out at Merchan again after that exchange, telling reporters, “He won’t allow me to leave here for a half-a-day to go to D.C. and go before the United States Supreme Court, because he thinks he’s superior, I guess, than the Supreme Court …”
Merchan has not ruled on Trump’s request to attend Barron’s graduation, but the former president took to Truth Social to tell followers that he would “likely” be barred from missing court to attend the ceremony.