As the 2024 elections loom, Truth Social has transformed into the arena for former President Donald Trump’s unrelenting criticisms of the judicial system.
A recent analysis by NBC News has uncovered a staggering revelation: Trump’s onslaught against the courts often overshadows his posts about his re-election campaign.
Between April 2022 and January 6, 2024, a comprehensive examination of over 14,000 Truth Social posts revealed a deliberate focus on discrediting legal cases against him.
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Trump portrays himself as a victim entangled in a Democratic conspiracy led by President Joe Biden, frequently invoking the term “witch hunt” approximately 250 times, according to a report by NBC News on Friday, January 12.
Facing up to four criminal trials, a defamation case, and a civil verdict within a year, Trump spares no one in his attacks within his posts.
Special counsel Jack Smith, heading the federal election case, becomes the primary target with over 175 derogatory posts.
Trump’s campaign against New York AG Letitia James and Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg reaches nearly 100 and almost 70 posts, respectively.
As the legal pressure intensifies, Trump broadens his assault, targeting judges and prosecutors across multiple states, including New York, Washington, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Retired federal appeals court judge J. Michael Luttig labels these attacks as “unprecedented” and a “grave threat” to judicial independence.
“These vicious attacks on the judiciary and the federal court and even on individual judges are unprecedented in American history by anyone, let alone a president of the United States. They represent a grave threat to the judiciary and the independence of the courts,” he said.
The frequency of Trump’s onslaught correlates with crucial dates in the legal proceedings, constituting around 37% of his social media output during significant events.
These attacks have not been without consequences — threats and intimidation against judges and prosecutors have ensued, fueled by Trump’s rhetoric.
In the $250 million civil fraud case led by New York State Judge Arthur Engoron, Trump has unleashed over 70 posts, intensifying as the trial progressed.
The vitriol extended beyond the digital realm, with Trump lambasting Engoron at rallies, in media remarks, and even during his trial testimony.
The dangers of Trump’s relentless attacks were underscored by legal analyst Barbara McQuade.
She warns of the potential to taint the jury pool with baseless claims and expresses concern about the risk of political violence against judges and prosecutors.
Trump’s aggression has extended to other cases, such as the defamation trial against writer E. Jean Carroll.
The judge presiding over this case, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, faces over 20 mentions in posts attacking his perceived partisanship.
Even judges overseeing criminal cases like U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan and New York State Judge Juan Merchan have not been spared.
Chutkan, presiding over the federal election interference case, faced a potential “swatting” attack, adding to the threats judges receive.
A notable exception is U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, Trump’s judicial nominee overseeing a national secrets mishandling case.
However, Trump has shifted focus to special counsel Jack Smith after an expedited trial date was set.
Trump’s battles haven’t been confined to the courtroom; a Colorado Supreme Court ruling threatening his presence on the presidential ballot led to claims of global ridicule and an FBI investigation into threats against judges.
With the U.S. Supreme Court as the final battleground, Trump has voiced concerns about fairness and played to his conservative appointees.
