Former President Donald Trump has been making false and unsubstantiated claims regarding the Manhattan criminal case against him, which involves alleged falsification of business records related to a hush money scheme during the 2016 presidential election. Trump has spread baseless claims that President Joe Biden, his White House, or the Justice Department are secretly orchestrating the case. These claims have included pointing to a former Justice Department official who joined the Manhattan district attorney’s office and insinuating that he was sent by Biden to interfere in the case. However, there is no evidence to support Trump’s allegations, as the Manhattan district attorney is a locally elected official who does not report to the federal government.
Trump has also made false claims about the crime rates in Manhattan, asserting that there are record-high levels of murder and violent crime. However, data shows that Manhattan, like New York City overall, has seen a significant decline in these crimes since the early 1990s. While there have been fluctuations in some types of violent crime in Manhattan since Trump’s term in office, it is difficult to attribute these changes solely to the actions of the district attorney. Crime levels are influenced by numerous factors, and trends in Manhattan generally align with those of New York City as a whole.
Another dubious claim made by Trump is that the judge presiding over his case has a conflict of interest because his daughter posted a picture of Trump behind bars on social media. However, there is no evidence to suggest that the judge’s daughter was responsible for the post, as she had abandoned the social media account in question over a year prior. Trump’s characterization of the judge’s gag order on him is also exaggerated, as it applies only to specific categories of speech related to the case, not a general prohibition on Trump’s ability to speak publicly.
Trump has also mentioned liberal billionaire George Soros in connection to the Manhattan case, suggesting that Soros played a role in the prosecution of Trump. However, there is no evidence to support this claim, as Soros did not donate directly to the district attorney’s campaign. While Soros did support a political action committee that backed the district attorney’s candidacy, there is no indication that he had any influence over the prosecution of Trump. Furthermore, attacks on Soros have been criticized as antisemitic and racially charged.
Finally, Trump has falsely claimed that he has been indicted more times than the infamous gangster Al Capone. In reality, Capone was indicted at least six times, while Trump has faced four indictments. Trump’s claim is not accurate, and it is important to note the distinction in the number of charges filed against the two individuals. Overall, Trump’s statements regarding the Manhattan case and related issues have been found to be unsubstantiated and misleading.
