Donald Trump is reportedly planning to take legal action against Judge Juan Merchan to delay his upcoming criminal hush money trial in New York, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The New York Times reported on Monday that Trump's legal team planned to challenge the judge's recent gag order which prohibited Trump from making negative remarks about witnesses, prosecutors, and the judge's family.
Ex-President Trump faces a criminal trial for allegations of manipulating New York business records to conceal payments to Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign – payments that were allegedly made to prevent Daniels from discussing the pair’s alleged affair.
The trial, which is now scheduled to kick off on April 15, would make Trump the first former president to stand trial as a criminal defendant.
But despite the upcoming trial date, Trump's legal team reportedly forged ahead with their attempts to disrupt and delay the impending proceedings.
Two sources familiar with the situation divulged that Trump's lawyers sought a postponement of the April 15 trial and sought to contest the recent gag order imposed by Judge Merchan.
“Two people with knowledge of the matter said that Mr. Trump’s lawyers on Monday planned to file the action calling on an appeals court to delay the trial and to challenge a gag order that Justice Merchan recently imposed on the former president,” the Times reported.
The Times also highlighted the unconventional approach of suing the judge. The outlet described the approach as a challenging and “unorthodox” tactic that was unlikely to succeed.
Meanwhile, Trump's legal camp also reportedly pushed for a change in trial location.
The rationale behind that request was reportedly connected to Trump's unpopularity in Manhattan and fears that Trump’s unpopularity could affect the soon-to-be-named jury pool.
“The request reflects his deep unpopularity in the solidly Democratic borough,” one source noted.
Judge Merchan also recently dismissed another Hail Mary bid from Trump's legal team to postpone the trial based on claims of presidential immunity.
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As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Trump launched his first attack against Judge Merchan last month after Judge Merchan ruled that Trump’s hush money trial would start on April 15.
“Judge Juan Merchan, a very distinguished looking man, is nevertheless a true and certified Trump Hater who suffers from a very serious case of Trump Derangement Syndrome,” Trump charged on Truth Social in March. “In other words, he hates me!”
The 45th president went on to attack Judge Merchan’s daughter which resulted in a gag order, followed by another expanded gag order, against Trump.
“Judge Juan Merchan is totally compromised, and should be removed from this TRUMP Non-Case immediately,” Trump fumed in another Truth Social post. “His Daughter, Loren, is a Rabid Trump Hater, who has admitted to having conversations with her father about me, and yet he gagged me.”
Trump continued his attacks against Judge Merchan over the weekend and even went so far as to compare himself to the late South African anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela.
“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,” Trump wrote over the weekend. “It will be my GREAT HONOR.”