Former President Donald Trump made baseless claims suggesting that the legal cases against him in New York were orchestrated by President Joe Biden. These claims came after major developments in two of his legal cases, including a criminal trial on falsifying business records and a civil fraud case. Trump claimed that these cases were “Biden-run” and even suggested that a former Justice Department official, Matthew Colangelo, was placed in the Manhattan district attorney’s office by Biden. However, there is no evidence to support these claims as the Manhattan prosecution is led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the civil fraud case by New York Attorney General Letitia James, both of whom are independently elected officials.
The civil fraud case against Trump was filed by Letitia James in September 2022, before Trump announced his 2024 campaign and before Biden took office. There is no indication that Biden played any role in initiating criminal charges against Trump in Manhattan or Fulton County, Georgia. Special counsel Jack Smith, who brought the federal indictments against Trump, was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, a Biden appointee. However, Garland has stated that Biden never asked him to take action against Trump, and there is no evidence to suggest that Biden personally ordered the indictments as Trump has claimed.
Trump has provided no evidence to support his claims that Biden was involved in Matthew Colangelo’s move from the Justice Department to the Manhattan district attorney’s office. Colangelo and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg have a history of working together, including investigating Trump’s charity and financial practices while at the New York attorney general’s office. Colangelo served in various roles in the Justice Department during the early months of the Biden administration, including acting associate attorney general, but never held the top position there as Trump has previously suggested.
It is important to note that the indictments in Trump’s criminal cases were approved by grand juries consisting of ordinary citizens in New York, Georgia, Florida, and Washington, DC. These indictments were not orchestrated by Biden or his administration, as Trump has implied. The legal cases against Trump are being pursued by elected officials and special counsels, not at the direction of President Biden. Trump’s claims of political interference in these cases lack credibility and have no factual basis. The legal proceedings against him are the result of independent investigations and legal processes.
