Conservatives urged former President Donald Trump to attend his son Barron Trump's graduation, regardless of whether Judge Juan Merchan says he can miss trial that day.
Merchan, who is overseeing the trial into whether Trump falsified business documents by allegedly making a hush money payment to adult film actor Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign, has not formally made a ruling about whether the former president can skip trial to attend the graduation.
Still, Trump's supporters voiced outrage over the possibility that he could miss the graduation of his youngest child, who is set to graduate from Oxbridge Academy in Palm Beach, Florida, on May 17.
Jury selection in the trial began on Monday, as Trump is poised to become the first former president in United States history to stand trial in a criminal case. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg last year charged Trump on a 34-count indictment related to the payment, which his office alleged was intended to prevent Daniels from speaking publicly about her claims of having an affair with the former president.
Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels and pleaded not guilty to all 34 charges. He has accused Bragg of targeting him for political purposes, describing the trial as a form of election interference.
During Monday's proceedings, Merchan said he had received requests from Trump's attorneys for him to miss the trial on May 17 to attend his son's graduation. However, according to a post by Inner City Press on X, formerly Twitter, Merchan said he could not decide on this right now, as his ruling would depend on whether the trial was running on schedule.
Newsweek reached out to Trump's campaign for comment via email.
Some conservatives suggested Trump should attend the graduation, regardless of whether Merchan ultimately rules in his favor.
During a discussion on the Fox News program The Five, conservative commentator Piers Morgan said the former president should attend the graduation.
"Donald Trump should go to his son's graduation. Go to the graduation. Honestly, if you're watching, President Trump, just go to the graduation. Every parent in America, whether they like you or hate you, will go, 'Yeah I would have done that too.'" Because this case is utterly ridiculous," Morgan said.
"Donald Trump should go to Barron's graduation. Call Merchan's bluff," posted a conservative X user who goes by ALX.
Fox News contributor Sara A. Carter wrote on X, "President Trump should just go to Barron's graduation- what do you think?"
"Trump should go to Barron's graduation. A judge threatening him over it is insane. Jail a father for being there to support his son, let's see how that goes over with Americans," wrote conservative commentator Benny Johnson.
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Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more
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