Special Counsel Jack Smith faced a significant setback in his legal pursuits against former President Donald Trump on Monday due to the actions of Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan in Trump’s hush money case. Judge Merchan issued a stern warning to Trump, stating that he could face arrest if he fails to attend his trial without a valid reason. This directive means Trump must appear in court every day for the duration of his trial, which could last weeks, or even longer depending on the evidence and witness testimonies.
In a separate federal classified documents case against Trump, Florida district Judge Aileen Cannon had already made it clear that she would not proceed with hearings that Trump could not attend due to scheduling conflicts with other court obligations. The requirement from Judge Merchan to attend the Manhattan trial every day effectively puts a hold on at least one of Trump’s federal cases until the Manhattan case is concluded.
This situation creates challenges for Smith’s ongoing legal efforts against Trump. Investigative reporter Julie Kelly commented on the development, noting that Judge Cannon’s stance will further delay ongoing pretrial proceedings in Trump’s federal cases for approximately two months.
“They will try to take away my freedom because I will never let them take away your freedoms,” Trump said in a pre-court video released on Truth Social. “They will try to silence me because I will never let them silence you. They want you silent, and I’m the only one who can save this nation because you know they’re not coming after me, they’re coming after you.”
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