Two days before his first criminal trial was set to begin in Manhattan, former President Donald J. Trump framed the charges against him as part of a broader attempt by Democrats to prevent him from the White House. He criticized the gag order placed on him by the judge in the New York case, which he referred to as a “communist show trial” brought by the Manhattan district attorney’s office. Despite the case having nothing to do with President Biden, Trump alluded to it as the “very first Biden trial,” falsely asserting Biden’s involvement.
Speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania, Trump portrayed himself as a victim of political persecution and claimed he was protecting his supporters from a similar fate by going on trial. He reassured his followers that he was proud to do it for them and encouraged them to watch the trial unfold. Although there will not be television cameras in the courtroom, Trump is known to hold news conferences after court dates and is expected to continue holding rallies on weekends.
During the rally, which coincided with an aerial attack on Israel by Iran, Trump expressed support for Israel and blamed President Biden for the conflict in Gaza. He suggested that the attack on Israel was a result of Biden’s perceived weakness and claimed such events would not have occurred if he had won the 2020 election. The crowd at the rally began chanting “Genocide Joe,” in reference to Biden’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza, to which Trump appeared to agree.
Trump repeated false claims about winning the 2020 election and accused Democrats of cheating him out of a victory, despite Biden winning Pennsylvania by over 80,000 votes. He alleged voter fraud without evidence and urged his supporters to protest and “start screaming” if they witnessed cheating. He also criticized the gag order imposed on him in the Manhattan case, which prevents him from publicly attacking witnesses, jurors, court staff, and prosecutors, but not the judge or Manhattan’s district attorney.
Overall, Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania highlighted his continued false claims about the 2020 election, victimization narrative, and criticism of President Biden. Despite the pending criminal trial in Manhattan, Trump used the opportunity to rally his supporters and paint himself as a defender against political persecution. The rally also touched on international affairs, with Trump expressing support for Israel and using the conflict in Gaza to criticize Biden’s leadership. It remains to be seen how Trump’s legal battle will unfold and its impact on his political future.
