Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday sharply criticized the New York judge who imposed a news gag order on him in his hush money trial ahead of the 2024 election.
Trump, the Republican candidate, is expected to face Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
Trump has said the ongoing news blackout amounts to election interference. He has repeatedly described his criminal and civil lawsuits as an attempt by his political opponents to prevent him from returning to the White House.
“Judge Merchan just ruled that I, the Republican presidential candidate leading in the polls, am still subject to a news blackout on very important matters that need to be brought to light. I am not allowed to answer reporters’ questions. Can you believe it?” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The New York courts are refusing to step in. This is happening just before the election begins on September 6th. Voter suppression and rigging. Voter interference. This is the real fascist ‘stuff’, the old Soviet Union! There is so much to say and I am not allowed to say it. I have to go to the US Supreme Court. New York is trying to steal the election!”
In June, Judge Juan Merchan lifted two sections of the news gag order but kept a third section that prevents Trump from speaking about court employees and their family members, the order said.
In August, the state of Missouri attempted to intervene in the news blackout issue, but the U.S. Supreme Court rejected its attempt.
Back in May, Merchan had fined Trump $10,000 for ten violations of the news blackout.
