Trump’s Judge is Getting Threats, While Trump Calls NY Officials ‘Perverts’

Former President Donald Trump isn’t exactly cooling his incendiary rhetoric in the wake of a judge’s warning not to say anything that could incite violence.

And now that judge is reportedly receiving threats. 

One day after the judge in Trump’s criminal case issued a delicately worded warning that Trump could face a gag order in his case if he doesn’t chill out, Trump fired back that the people who charged him with crimes are “perverts.” 

“The Radical Left Lunatics, Maniacs, and Perverts had me Indicted and ARRESTED for no reason whatsoever,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social account, before boasting that he enjoyed being arraigned and that it boosted his poll numbers. 

Trump’s broadside is just the latest verbal assault against the Manhattan law enforcement officials who charged Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying documents. Trump was arraigned on Tuesday in a downtown courtroom in a case relating to a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels right before the 2016 election. 

Trump’s fiery language has boosted security fears among New York officials. 

There have recently been “dozens” of threats directed at Judge Juan Merchan and his chambers, an official told NBC News. His family has also received threats, and so has Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, according to NBC. 

The New York courts have beefed up security measures, a court spokesperson said. 

“We have maintained an increased security presence in and around courthouses and throughout the judiciary and will adjust protocols as necessary,” New York state courts spokesperson Lucian Chalfen said in an email to VICE News on Thursday. “We continue to evaluate and reevaluate security concerns and potential threats.” 

Trump’s allies have been openly fretting that Judge Merchan could order Trump to stop talking about his case. Such a move could silence Trump on his new favorite subject: His persecution at the hands of supposedly biased prosecutors. Violating a gag order could put Trump in contempt of court, which comes with the risk of jail time. 

Prosecutors expressed concern over Trump’s menacing comments during his arraignment on Tuesday. 

They handed Judge Merchan a printout of Trump’s social media posts, in which Trump warned his arrest could lead to “death & destruction” and linked to an article featuring a picture of Trump waving a baseball bat next to the head of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

Trump’s statements are “threatening our city, our justice system, our courts, and our office,” Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy told the judge. 

“We have significant concern about the potential danger this kind of rhetoric poses to our city, to potential jurors and witnesses, and to the judicial process,” Conroy said. 

Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche said Trump has been speaking out forcefully because he is “frustrated” by leaks in the media about his criminal case. But Blanche insisted Trump doesn’t intend to menace anyone.

“These posts are not threats, they are not harassment,” Blanche told the judge. “He has rights, he's allowed to speak publicly.”

Judge Merchan said he’s not ready to issue a gag order in this case, and said Tuesday that such a move was not “close.”

But he cautioned that he might rethink his stance if Trump keeps on making the same kind of statements and posts. 

“Defense counsel, speak to your client and anybody else you need to, and remind them to please refrain, please refrain from making statements that are likely to e violence or civil unrest,” Judge Merchan said. “Also, please do not engage in words or conduct which jeopardizes the rule of law, particularly as it applies to these proceedings in this courtroom.”

Later that night, Trump gave a speech in which he mocked Judge Merchan’s wife.

“I have a Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and family,” Trump said.