Judge Nukes False Right-Wing Talking Point by Making Clear Trump Can Attend Son’s Graduation

Victor J. Blue for The Washington Post/ Pool

Former President Donald Trump will indeed be attending his son’s high school graduation on May 17th, despite Trump raging for weeks that his New York City trial would prevent him from doing so.

In mid-April, Trump fumed to the press outside of his trial, “As you know, my son is graduating from high school and it looks like the judge will not let me go to the graduation of my son who’s worked very, very hard, and he is a great student.”

“I’m very proud that he did so well, and I was looking forward for years to have his graduation with his mother and father there. It looks like the judge isn’t going to allow me to escape this scam. It’s a scam trial,” Trump raged.

On Tuesday, Judge Juan Merchan made clear that Trump attending his son’s graduation was no problem. “I don’t think the May 17 date is a problem,” Merchan told the court, although it remains unclear if the court would simply not be scheduled for that date or Trump will be excused from the day’s proceedings.

“We picked the jury pretty quickly,” Merchan noted, “So Mr. Trump can certainly attend that date.”

Trump’s anger over missing his date led to his allies repeating his claims in the media, despite multiple fact checks noting that Trump was wrong to say he wouldn’t be allowed to attend.

“This is political,” Trump attorney Alina Habba told Sean Hannity in mid-April. “It’s election interference. You’re not even allowing a father – never mind a former president – but a father attend his son’s graduation?” she complained.

CNN even published an article titled, “Trump falsely claims judge won’t let him attend son’s high school graduation next month,” to knock down the claims, which still spread like wildfire through right-wing media.

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