Former US President Donald Trump has drawn a comparison between himself and South African anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela, amidst accusations against Judge Juan Merchan for violating his freedom of speech and breaking the law.
The Republican candidate is facing indictment in four separate criminal cases, raising the possibility of the 77-year-old real estate mogul serving time in jail.
One of the cases involves allegations of paying hush money to a former porn star prior to the 2016 presidential election, which he won against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
With the trial scheduled to commence on April 15, Judge Merchan has placed a partial gag order on Trump, who has frequently criticized the judge on social media.
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Despite this restriction, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to assert that he would willingly become a “Modern Day Nelson Mandela” if incarcerated for speaking the “open and obvious TRUTH.”
Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison before becoming South Africa’s president, passed away in 2013.
Trump had previously likened himself to Mandela during a 2023 rally and has also made comparisons to Jesus Christ in the past.
