As former President Donald Trump faces trial in a Manhattan courtroom on charges of falsifying business records related to a hush money scheme during the 2016 presidential election, he has made a series of false claims to the media. This article will fact-check four of these claims, focusing solely on those related to the trial.
Courthouse Security
Trump claimed that thousands of people were turned away from the courthouse due to heavy security measures, describing the area as an “armed camp”. However, these claims are unfounded. The courthouse remains open to the public, and there is a designated protest zone directly across the street. The reality is that few of Trump’s supporters have chosen to show up.
Michael Cohen’s Crimes and Trump
Trump has attempted to distance himself from the crimes committed by his former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, stating that they “had nothing to do with me”. This is incorrect. Cohen’s three-year sentence in 2018 was for multiple crimes, some of which were directly related to Trump, including campaign finance offenses connected to the same hush money scheme that is central to this prosecution against Trump.
The Gag Order on Trump
Trump has complained about a gag order imposed by Judge Juan Merchan, claiming it prevents him from speaking about the case. However, this misrepresents the scope of the gag order. It does not prohibit Trump from declaring the case a sham or from sharing others’ claims that the case is a sham. It specifically forbids Trump from speaking publicly about known or foreseeable witnesses, prosecutors, and jurors or prospective jurors.
Biden and the Case
Trump has attempted to link President Biden to the trial, stating, “this trial is all Biden”. However, there is no evidence to support this claim. The indictment in the case was approved by a grand jury of ordinary citizens, and there is no evidence that Biden has had any role in launching or running Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s prosecution.
For more detailed information on each of these fact checks, please continue reading below.