Former President Donald Trump has been granted permission by Judge Juan Merchan of the New York Supreme Court to attend his son Barron Trump’s high school graduation. The ruling ensures that Trump can be present at the ceremony, which is set to take place on May 17 at Oxbridge Academy in Palm Beach, Florida.
The decision came in the midst of an ongoing trial in Manhattan, New York, where Trump is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records. The charges relate to payments made to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election. Trump has staunchly denied these allegations and entered a plea of not guilty.
In court, Trump expressed concern about the possibility of missing his son’s graduation. He said, “He’s a great student and he’s very proud of the fact he did so well and was looking forward for years to having his graduation with his mother and father there.” He labeled the potential restriction as part of a “scam trial.”
Despite Trump’s ongoing legal troubles, including a recent $10,000 fine for discussing the case publicly and in violation of the court’s gag order, Judge Merchan recognized the personal significance of the graduation for Trump. Merchan stated, “I don’t think the May 17 date is a problem,” allowing Trump a temporary respite from the trial’s demands.
Barron Trump, 18, attended St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac, Maryland, during his father’s term in office. The younger Trump, who relocated to Mar-a-Lago with his parents post-presidency, has been recognized for his academic accomplishments and maintains a lower public profile than his older siblings.
Alina Habba, Trump’s lawyer, expressed relief at the judge’s decision, underlining the emotional significance of potentially missing the graduation. “You’re not even allowing a father – never mind a former president – but a father attend his son’s graduation?” she queried earlier, echoing wider concerns about the personal impact of the ongoing legal proceedings.
Stephanie Grisham, former communications director for Melania Trump, spoke to DailyMail.com. She suggested that Melania Trump was unhappy about the public spotlight on her son’s graduation due to the trial. Grisham, who resigned after the Capitol attack on January 6, criticized Trump’s approach as potentially overshadowing his son’s achievement.
The judge’s decision allows Trump to attend the graduation and represents a brief pause in a trial that continues to draw national attention. Legal experts and public figures continue to analyze the implications of the developments in the trial on Trump’s personal and political life.
