Donald Trump says it would be ‘a great honor’ to be jailed for violating gag order

Former US President Donald Trump says “I would be honored” to be jailed for violating a gag order from a judge who will hear charges that he paid hush money to a porn star.

Trump posted on his Truth social platform on Saturday: “If this partisan hack wants me to be ‘punished’ for telling the public and obvious truth, I will gladly be a modern-day Nelson Mandela — —It would be a huge honor for me.”

Trump was referring to Judge Juan Merchan, who will preside over the trial in New York state court in Manhattan on charges of concealing payments to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election A $130,000 payment in exchange for her silence about the alleged sexual encounter.

The trial begins on April 15.

The Republican, who is challenging Democratic President Joe Biden in the November 5 US presidential election, has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records and denied having an affair with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. touch.

On April 1, Merchin expanded an existing gag order that barred Trump from publicly commenting on witnesses and court staff to make clear that the ban also applied to family members. He did so after Trump disparaged Merchin’s daughter.

The looming hush-money trial is one of four criminal cases Trump faces ahead of the U.S. election. It may be the only case to go to trial before the election. He has pleaded not guilty to all and said they were politically motivated.