Maroc - RAWSTORY.COM - Raw Story - 04/Sep 12:27

'I am proud to represent our failing nation': Trump melts down in early morning court rant

Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday kicked off his morning with a caps-heavy rant on Truth Social railing against a gag order that bars him from attacking witnesses in the hush-money trial that saw him get convicted on 34 felony counts. "I am proud to represent our Failing Nation in fighting the GREATEST POLITICAL WITCH HUNT IN HISTORY," Trump wrote. "REMOVE THE GAG ORDER SO THAT I CAN SHOW HOW CORRUPT OUR COURT SYSTEM IS. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ARE NOT TO BE GAGGED!" Trump, of course, does not represent the nation in the case, which is being prosecuted by the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg. Trump has regularly railed against the gag order ever since it was imposed by New York Judge Juan Merchan to prevent him from engaging in witness intimidation. ALSO READ: Ohio's Republican Sec. of State changes voting rules right before 2024 election Earlier this year, Merchan found that Trump had violated his gag order in nine different instances and threatened the former president with jail time should he continue to flout court orders. In the past, Trump has also been slapped with sanctions for violating other gag orders in assorted civil trials that resulted in him paying thousands of dollars in fines. In addition to the conviction related to his 2016 hush-money scheme, Trump also faces criminal indictments for stashing top-secret government documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort and refusing to give them back, as well as indictments related to his attempts to illegally remain in power after losing the 2020 presidential election. Former prosecutor Ron Filipkowski responded with, "The US is not a failing nation. What is failing is Donald Trump’s company."