Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday blasted the New York judge presiding over his trial on charges of falsifying records regarding a payment to silence a porn actress after the judge expanded a gag order on him.
Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan on Monday
amended a week-old ban on Trump making public statements about witnesses, jurors, and others connected with the case after the presumptive Republican nominee lashed out at the judge's daughter, a Democrat political consultant, in several posts on his Truth Social platform.
"I just was informed that another corrupt New York Judge, Juan Merchan, GAGGED me so that I can not talk about the corruption and conflicts taking place in his courtroom with respect to a case that everyone, including the D.A., felt should never have been brought," Trump posted on Truth Social.
"They can talk about me, but I can't talk about them??? That sounds fair, doesn't it? This Judge should be recused, and the case should be thrown out. There has virtually never been a more conflicted judge than this one. ELECTION INTERFERENCE at its worst!"
Trump then turned his attention to President Joe Biden. The two men are expected to oppose each other in November's presidential election.
"Please remember, ALL of these Lawsuits, Charges, and Indictments that have been brought against me have been orchestrated and coordinated by Crooked Joe Biden, the White House, and the DOJ, as an ATTACK ON CROOKED'S POLITICAL OPPONENT, ME. This has never happened before in our Country. MAGA2024!" Trump wrote.
"THE LEGAL SYSTEM IN OUR COUNTRY HAS BEEN CORRUPTED & POLITICIZED AT A LEVEL NEVER SEEN BEFORE. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
He continued.
"UNDER CROOKED JOE BIDEN WE HAVE BECOME A THIRD WORLD NATION. OUR BORDERS ARE GONE, OUR LEGAL SYSTEM IS WEAPONIZED, OUR ELECTIONS ARE CORRUPT. IT DOESN'T GET ANY WORSE THAN THAT!!! MAGA2024," Trump posted.
Earlier Monday, Trump posted a $175 million bond in his New York civil fraud case, averting asset seizures by state authorities that could have hobbled the former president's business empire.
"I had to pay New York State in order to appeal a corrupt decision by a biased, crooked and highly overturned judge. It's supposed to be the other way around – you appeal before you pay," Trump wrote Tuesday morning.
"Is a crooked New York Judge allowed to make you pay for the 'privilege' of appealing a wrongful & corrupt decision??? NOT IN AMERICA!!!"
The bond prevents New York Attorney General Letitia James from going after Trump's properties, including Trump Tower, his 370-acre resort and golf course in Westchester, and his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
CNN reported that the bond is underwritten by Knight Specialty Insurance, a California-based insurance company. It was not disclosed what collateral Trump used to secure the bond.
Reuters contributed to this story.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.