Achi news desk-
Donald Trump has once again compared himself to a historically persecuted figure – this time, the late South African leader and anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela.
Mr Trump made the comparison on Saturday on his social media platform, Truth Social, as he railed against Judge Juan Merchan for his latest ruling to expand a gag order against him. Mr Trump has been accused of falsifying business records to hide hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels in the New York case.
The former president even claimed that he was ready to go to jail.
“If this Partisan Hack wants to put me in the ‘clink’ for speaking the open and obvious TRUTH, I will gladly become the Modern Nelson Mandela – It will be my GREAT HONOR,” Mr Trump posted.
Mr Mandela spent 27 years in prison for standing up to South Africa’s apartheid system. He was later released and went on to become South Africa’s first black president after a fully democratic election.
Mr Trump has compared himself to Mr Mandela before. Last October, at a campaign event, he said: “I’ll tell you what, I don’t mind being Nelson Mandela, because I’m doing it for a reason.”
The former president has compared himself to Jesus and Elvis Presley before.
Mr Trump’s most pressing legal woes last week stemmed from the hush money case, where he has lost all his bids to delay a trial now due to start on 15 April. He faces 34 felony counts in the case.
On Monday, the president was dealt another blow in the New York case when the judge presiding over the case expanded a gag order already in place to include members of his family, who Mr Trump had accused in posts social media.
On 26 March, Mr Trump posted on Truth Social accusing judge Merchan’s daughter of political ties to Joe Biden and California legislator Adam Schiff, who was often an outspoken political enemy of Mr Trump.
In all, Mr. Trump faces 88 felony counts in four separate criminal prosecutions over a civil fraud case in New York, which he has lost but filed an appeal to overturn.
Mr Trump’s trial in New York remains the only one now certain to take place before the 2024 general election. A series of delays in his two remaining federal cases and the Georgia prosecution have pushed back the trial dates expected that into the realm of complete uncertainty.
He remains the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party after defeating rivals in this winter’s GOP presidential primaries.
