Former President Donald Trump’s Manhattan criminal trial faced an unusual incident on Thursday when some very graphic balloons featuring the faces of judges and prosecutors involved in various Trump cases appeared.
Trump, who is the leading GOP candidate for the upcoming presidential election, has been on trial for over a month. He is accused of falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign. Daniels claims she had an affair with Trump in 2006, which Trump denies. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Local reporter Michelle Arezou Ross shared a video on X (formerly known as Twitter) showing dozens of phallic-shaped balloons floating out of a rental truck and into the streets outside Trump’s trial. In the video, a man wearing a MAGA (Make America Great Again) hat can be seen collecting the balloons and shouting, “Penis Balloons! Penises ’cause they’re all a bunch of penises.”
Someone just pulled up to the Donald Trump hush money trial outside Manhattan Criminal Court in a UHaul and released dozens of pink balloons in the shape of male genitalia with the faces of DA Alvin Bragg, Judge Juan Merchan, and Special Counsel Jack Smith on them. pic.twitter.com/cnXrxEYLXU
— Michelle Arezou Ross (@MRossNews) May 16, 2024
Judge Juan Merchan is presiding over the hush money case, which is being prosecuted by New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office. Meanwhile, Special Counsel Jack Smith from the U.S. Department of Justice is handling Trump’s federal election interference case in Washington, D.C., related to his alleged involvement in the January 6, 2021 Capitol Riot.
News Nation campaign reporter Libbey Dean reported that Judge Arthur Engoron, who fined Trump $355 million plus interest and barred him from doing business in New York for three years in a financial fraud lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, was also depicted on the balloons.
Outside Trump Trial: Nearly 100 pink penis shaped balloons with faces of Judge Juan Merchan, Alvin Bragg, Jack Smith and Judge Arthur Engoron taped to them released in front of NYC courthouse.
From @lauraingle pic.twitter.com/T5ufiK5wyW
— Libbey Dean (@LibbeyDean_) May 16, 2024
Trump has frequently attacked judges and prosecutors involved in his cases, both in the media and online. As a result, he has been placed under multiple gag orders. These orders, however, do not prevent him from mentioning the judges and prosecutors who brought the cases against him.
Currently, Trump has been found guilty and is still under a gag order until sentencing.