Donald Trump is reportedly scheduled to attend a campaign fundraiser on the same day that he requested off from his criminal hush money trial to attend his son’s high school graduation, RadarOnline.com has learned.
In a surprising development to come after Trump asked Judge Juan Merchan for off from court on May 17 so he could attend his son Barron’s graduation in Florida, it was revealed that the ex-president is also scheduled to appear at a GOP fundraiser in Minnesota that same day.
According to Daily Mail, ex-President Trump is now scheduled to give the keynote address at this year’s Minnesota Republican Party's annual Lincoln Reagan dinner on May 17.
“We are thrilled to welcome President Trump back to Minnesota to headline our Lincoln Reagan dinner, an annual tradition that reminds us of the roots of our Party and the leaders who have been most impactful in promoting our American values,” Minnesota GOP chair David Hann said in a statement earlier this week.
“I can think of no one more fitting to join us this year than President Trump,” Hann added.
House Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer, who will co-host the event on May 17, also indicated that Trump would appear in Minnesota for the Lincoln Reagan dinner later this month.
“I could not be more excited to host President Trump and officially kick off our 2024 campaign,” Emmer said.
Also surprising were reports that Trump did not confirm his appearance at the GOP event later this month until shortly after Judge Merchan agreed to pause the embattled ex-president’s ongoing criminal trial for that day.
Meanwhile, it is unclear whether Trump will have enough time to attend both his son’s graduation on the morning of May 17 and the Lincoln Reagan dinner later that afternoon.
Barron’s graduation is reportedly scheduled to kick off that morning in Palm Beach, Florida at 10 AM. The GOP event is scheduled for later that afternoon in St. Paul, Minnesota – some 1,300 miles away from the location where Barron’s graduation is being held.
"Barron's graduation ceremony is taking place in the morning while the dinner does not begin until late afternoon, so Trump is surely planning on attending both events,” one insider noted.
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“It would not be practical for Judge Merchan to try squeezing in a partial court date after Barron's graduation,” the source continued, “so it's inconsequential to the court if Trump attends this dinner."
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, ex-President Trump made a big deal last month about attending his youngest son’s high school graduation.
Trump accused Judge Merchan of “not letting” him attend Barron’s graduation due to the ongoing criminal hush money trial.
"It looks like the judge will not let me go to the graduation of my son who's worked very, very hard," Trump lamented shortly after his criminal trial began last month.
Judge Merchan later relented.
“I don't think May 17 is a problem,” the judge said last week, although Judge Merchan also emphasized that Trump must appear in court for every day that the ex-president’s trial is in session.