Trump claims he’s a ‘modern-day Mandela’ ready to go to jail over hush-money case | EUROtoday

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Donald Trump has once more in contrast himself to a historically-persecuted determine – this time, the late South African chief and anti-apartheid legend Nelson Mandela.

Mr Trump made the comparability on Saturday on his social media platform, Truth Social, as he railed in opposition to Judge Juan Merchan for his newest ruling to increase a gag order in opposition to him. Mr Trump is accused of falsifying enterprise data to cowl up hush cash paid to porn star Stormy Daniels within the New York trial.

The former president even claimed that he was ready to go to jail.

“If this Partisan Hack wants to put me in the ‘clink’ for speaking the open and obvious TRUTH, I will gladly become a Modern Day Nelson Mandela – It will be my GREAT HONOR,” Mr Trump posted.

Mr Mandela spent 27 years in jail for standing as much as South Africa’s apartheid system. He was later launched and went on to turn out to be the primary Black president of South Africa after a fully-democratic election.

Mr Trump has beforehand likened himself to Mr Mandela. Last October, at a marketing campaign occasion, he mentioned: “I’ll tell you what, I don’t mind being Nelson Mandela, because I’m doing it for a reason.”

The former president has beforehand likened himself to Jesus and Elvis Presley.

Mr Trump’s most urgent authorized woes this previous week stemmed from the hush cash case, the place he has misplaced all of his bids to delay a trial that’s now slated to start on 15 April. He faces 34 felony counts within the case.

On Monday, the president was dealt one other blow within the New York case when the decide presiding over the trial expanded a gag order already in place to incorporate members of his household, whom Mr Trump had railed in opposition to in social media postings.

On 26 March, Mr Trump posted on Truth Social accusing decide Merchan’s daughter of political connections to Joe Biden and California lawmaker Adam Schiff, a frequent outspoken political foe of Mr Trump.

In all, Mr Trump faces 88 felony counts in 4 separate legal prosecutions alongside a civil fraud trial in New York, which he has misplaced however filed an attraction to overturn.

Mr Trump’s trial in New York stays the one one now assured to happen earlier than the 2024 normal election. A sequence of delays in his two remaining federal instances and Georgia prosecution have pushed these anticipated trial dates into the realm of complete uncertainty.

He stays the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party after defeating rivals within the GOP presidential primaries this winter.