OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
A sketch of former President Donald Trump from his appearance in a New York City courtroom on Monday linked to his hush-money case immediately went viral on social media, sparking remarks and jokes.
“Former President Donald Trump smiles in the courtroom at a hearing in his criminal case on charges stemming from hush money paid to a porn star, in New York City. Courtroom sketch by Jane Rosenberg,” noted North American editor for Reuters Pictures Corrine Perkins on the X platform.
Former President Donald Trump smiles in the courtroom at a hearing in his criminal case on charges stemming from hush money paid to a porn star, in New York City. Courtroom sketch by Jane Rosenberg pic.twitter.com/0RjXiBSTAw
— corinne_perkins (@corinne_perkins) March 25, 2024
The former president is facing 34 felony charges related to falsified business records concerning hush money payments made to former adult film star Stormy Daniels just weeks before the 2016 presidential election. Daniels claimed she had an affair with Trump a decade earlier, an allegation he has consistently denied.
Prosecutors led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg assert that the payments were part of a scheme to prevent potentially damaging stories about Trump from going public. Additionally, they allege that Trump reimbursed his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, through a series of checks for these “hush money” payments to Daniels. Trump, on the other hand, has pleaded not guilty to the charges, Newsweek reports.
The presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee appeared in a New York City courtroom on Monday for a pre-trial hearing concerning the criminal case. Before entering, the former president denounced the proceedings, stating, “This is a witch hunt. This is a hoax.”
His legal team intends to appeal the trial’s April 15 start date, seeking further delay or the dismissal of the 34 felony counts altogether.
Regarding the sketch, several social media users offered their take.
“When the edible hits,” wrote journalist Aaron Rupar on X along with the photo.
“Winners of the day Trump and this sketch artist,” wrote X user @benstanton77. “He needs to have this hung at MaraLago.”
In a separate post, @benstanton77 added a meme and wrote, “You can’t make this up the sketch artist today made Trump into the literal Meme.”
You can't make this up the sketch artist today made Trump into the literal Meme. 🤣🏆 pic.twitter.com/pmyBVc6ah7
— MAGA Elvis 🇺🇸 (@BenStanton77) March 25, 2024
Several other accounts, including End Wokeness, deemed the sketch an “instant classic.”
“Today’s courtroom sketch of President Trump is a classic,” posted user @bubblebathgirl. “He’s always winning, even when he’s being persecuted.”
“The courtroom sketch of Trump is next level,” wrote X user Ian Miles Cheong.
For his part, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to rip into Bragg.
In one lengthy post, he wrote:
D.A. Bragg, working in close coordination with Crooked Joe Biden’s people/campaign, has no case against me. He admitted as much when he first took office. In fact, he was furious that they were pursuing such a ridiculous case, where there is no crime, all others in law enforcement had taken a pass, where reliance on a convicted LIAR and FELON, Michael Cohen, is necessary, and where a dirtbag lawyer named Mark Pomerantz did things that were really bad! But if only they could get Judge Juan Merchan – And they did, just like they did for other cases. So much for Random Choice! JUDGE MERCHAN SHOULD RECUSE HIMSELF, HE CANNOT GIVE ME A FAIR TRIAL. Likewise, for the sake of fairness, this “Political Opponent” trial should take place in Staten Island, with a new and unbiased judge. The trial should not be allowed to start in the middle of my campaign for President. They could have filed more than three years ago – THEY WAITED! THIS IS ANOTHER WITCH HUNT FOR PURPOSES OF ELECTION INTERFERENCE!!!
Trump added in another post:
Judge Juan Merchan, a very distinguished looking man, is nevertheless a true and certified Trump Hater who suffers from a very serious case of Trump Derangement Syndrome. In other words, he hates me! His daughter is a senior executive at a Super Liberal Democrat firm that works for Adam “Shifty” Schiff, the Democrat National Committee, (Dem)Senate Majority PAC, and even Crooked Joe Biden. He was recently the judge on an unrelated trial of a long term employee, elderly and not in good health. This judge treated him viciously, telling him either you cooperate or I’m putting you in jail for 15 years. He pled, and went to jail for very minor offenses, highly unusual, served 4 months in Rikers, and now they are after him again, this time for allegedly lying (doesn’t look like a lie to me!), and they threatened him again with 15 years if he doesn’t say something bad about “TRUMP.” He is devastated and scared! These COUNTRY DESTROYING SCOUNDRELS & THUGS HAVE NO CASE AGAINST ME. WITCH HUNT!
