Former President Donald Trump made several false claims to the media during his trial for falsifying business records relating to a hush money scheme during the 2016 presidential election. One claim he made was about the security at the Manhattan courthouse where the trial was taking place. Trump stated that the courthouse was locked down and that people were being turned away, but in reality, there were few visible supporters and the courthouse remained open to the public with limited security measures in place.
Another false claim Trump made was regarding his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen. Trump stated that Cohen’s crimes had nothing to do with him, but in fact, Cohen’s prison sentence was directly related to Trump. Cohen was sentenced for campaign finance offenses connected to a hush money scheme during the 2016 campaign to conceal Trump’s extramarital relationships, which is central to the current prosecution against Trump. Cohen also admitted to breaking the law in coordination with and at the direction of Trump.
Trump also complained about a gag order placed on him by Judge Juan Merchan, stating that he was not allowed to talk about the case. However, the gag order only prohibited Trump from specific categories of speech, such as discussing witnesses, prosecutors, or jurors. It did not prevent him from declaring the case a sham or from sharing others’ claims about the case. Trump exaggerated the restrictions of the gag order in his statements to the media.
Trump falsely claimed that the trial against him was all driven by President Joe Biden. However, there is no evidence to support this claim, as the indictment in the case was approved by a grand jury of ordinary citizens and the local district attorney, Alvin Bragg, is an elected official who does not report to the federal government. While Trump has suggested a connection between Biden and a lawyer on Bragg’s team, Matthew Colangelo, there is no evidence of Biden’s involvement in the case.
Throughout the trial, Trump continued to make misleading statements and spread false information about the security at the courthouse, his connection to Cohen’s crimes, the limitations of the gag order on him, and the involvement of President Biden in the prosecution. Despite the facts refuting these claims, Trump persisted in presenting a skewed narrative to the media and the public. As the trial continues, it remains important to fact-check and clarify misleading statements from all parties involved to ensure an accurate understanding of the proceedings.
