Trump Says He’ll Become ‘Modern Day Nelson Mandela’ Over Right to Attack Judge’s Daughter

Donald Trump said Saturday he is willing to go to jail, but not for the crimes he’s accused of committing.

The presumptive GOP candidate said he wanted to violate the expanded gag order against him in his upcoming hush money trial. In fact, he would be willing to make himself a martyr and serve jail time if the judge found him guilty of violating the order.

In a three-part post on his tanking social media company, Truth Social, Trump lashed out at the New York judge who granted the gag order, Juan Merchan, whom Trump has repeatedly targeted in his posts along with Merchan’s daughter for being biased against him.

“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,” Trump wrote.

Page 3: Now, we have Merchan, who is not allowing me to talk, thereby violating the Law and the Constitution, all at once. It is so bad what he is trying to get away with – How was he even chosen for this case??? I heard he fought like hell to get it, and all of the rest of them… — Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) April 6, 2024

“Imagine being so self-centered that you compare yourself to Jesus Christ and Nelson Mandela all within the span of little more than a week: that’s Donald Trump for you,” Jasmine Harris, Biden-Harris 2024 Director of Black Media, said in a statement provided to Rolling Stone.

Merchan granted an expanded gag order this week after Trump had made repeated threats against him and his daughter, posting both her name and photos despite her not being involved in the case. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg requested the initial order to protect jurors, witnesses, and investigators from Trump’s wrath, which can be met with violent threats by his supporters.

During his rant about Merchan on Saturday, Trump also attempted to re-litigate the defamation case filed against him by writer E. Jean Carroll — which resulted in an $83 million verdict against him. Trump is currently appealing the case.

“How many Corrupt, Biased, Crooked Joe Biden-‘Protection Agency’ New York Judges do I have to endure before somebody steps in?” Trump wrote. “I had New York Federal Judge, Lewis Kaplan, with a woman who I never knew, and had nothing to do with, until she sued me for ‘defamation.'” Trending Trump Says He’ll Become ‘Modern Day Nelson Mandela’ Over Right to Attack Judge’s Daughter The Far Right Is Crawling With Eclipse Conspiracy Theories Taylor Swift Starts Countdown to ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ With Her Favorite Number Taylor Swift Soundtracks the Five Stages of Grief With New Apple Music Playlists

Crooked Judge Juan Merchan is not allowing me to talk, is taking away my First Amendment Rights, he’s got me GAGGED, because he doesn’t want the FACTS behind the Gag to come out. How many Corrupt, Biased, Crooked Joe Biden-“Protection Agency” New York Judges do I have to endure… — Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) April 6, 2024

The upcoming hush money trial, which stems from a grand jury indictment that Trump committed fraud by covering up payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election, is set to begin jury selection in New York City on April 15.

This article was updated to include a statement from Jasmine Harris.