Photographer: Victor J. Blue for The Washington Post/ Pool
Former President Donald Trump had to spend Monday inside a New York City courtroom for his hush money trial, but once he left, he wanted to talk about protestors. Namely, the ones he would like to see protesting his hush money trial.
After court adjourned in the early afternoon, Trump railed for eight minutes for the cameras but continued his rant on social media, including this post on Truth Social:
The Palestinian Protests at Columbia University have CLOSED THE COLLEGE DOWN. But the area surrounding the Courthouse, in Downtown Manhattan, is closed up like a drum, with New York City’s Finest (Police) all over the place. Why not send some to Columbia to protect Jewish Students, and others. The University would then not have to Shut Down. Republicans want the right to protest in front of the Courthouse, like everyone else!
So, this starts off as a complaint about the pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia, where the anti-Semitic rhetoric and at-times raucous presence caused the university to make classes virtual for the Passover holiday out of safety concerns for Jewish students.
But then, Trump decries the police presence at his own trial, thinking it’s keeping “Republicans” from having their own protests outside the courthouse.
Quick fact-check: There are Trump supporters outside the courthouse, there just aren’t that many. His crowds are just small this time. And the increased police presence could have something to do with the guy who set himself on fire near the courthouse on Friday.
