At a rally in Waterford Township, Michigan, over the weekend, Donald Trump , the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination , tackled his growing legal dilemmas head-on, highlighting his recent setbacks. Trump’s focus has shifted to a new ‘N-word’ concern, one that doesn’t even begin with the letter ‘N.’ Recently, on Saturday, he said, “My whole life I didn’t know what the N-word—I didn’t know what indictment meant,” as reported by the New York Post . He then persisted in underscoring his ongoing legal struggles, eventually drawing comparisons between himself and Alphonse Capone.
Glitching Trump: You got indicted. Now in my whole life I didn’t know what the N word. I didn’t know what indictment meant. pic.twitter.com/OQBFeS02U9
— Acyn (@Acyn) February 18, 2024
The former POTUS also emphasized his commitment to the American people. Trump said, “[I] got indicted more than Alphonse Capone, Scarface,” he repeated. “I’m just doing something for incredible people — it’s called the American people…It doesn’t bother me.” Furthermore, Trump’s comments swiftly became a source for political opponents, with President Joe Biden ‘s campaign capitalizing on the chance to deflect attention from their issues. This includes concerns about Biden’s age and verbal gaffes amid heightened scrutiny over his mental sharpness.
After years of running a criminal enterprise, Al Capone quite famously was jailed for tax fraud. Donald Trump is facing his most serious consequences to date, for tax fraud. You’d think these guys would open a history book.
— Jane of the North (@JaneotN) February 16, 2024
Additionally, Trump’s prior comparison of the ‘N-word’ to ‘nuclear’ stands in stark contrast to allegations from sources like Omarosa Manigault Newman, who have hinted at the existence of recordings featuring Trump using the racial slur. Despite these claims, no definitive evidence has emerged to verify their authenticity.
I want to know WHEN was the IRS “quietly auditing Trump”?? His Fraud and Tax Evasion has been going on for years!! How can we put Al Capone in prison for 11 years for Tax Evasion, and NOT charge Donald Trump and put him in prison?? Bribery?? pic.twitter.com/eeqSBwDazw
— Ron🇺🇸 (@RevRonNC) February 17, 2024
Meanwhile, Trump’s comments in Michigan coincided with a significant development in his legal woes. Justice Arthur Engoron’s ruling imposed a hefty penalty of $355 million , with the potential for the cost to soar to $450 million with interest. Engoron’s decision stemmed from findings that Trump had manipulated his asset valuations.
Engoron additionally barred Trump from holding executive positions in New York-based companies for three years. Nonetheless, Trump refuted allegations of conspiring to manipulate his net worth, a charge for which he was held accountable. According to the New York Times , Trump said, “This judge is a lunatic.” He added, “I knew I would lose a billion or $2 billion if I was honest running for president and being president. It was the best thing I ever did.”
Trump employed a similar strategy against Letitia James, New York’s Attorney General, who had accused him of overstating his wealth throughout the extensive legal battle . Trump added, “It’s a disgusting thing. I deal in the bank. The bank is happy. There’s no victims. Nobody is going back to New York State. A lot of people are leaving — a lot of businesses.”
Furthermore, the recent legal blow on Friday followed shortly after Trump was instructed to pay $83.3 million to advice columnist E. Jean Carroll for defamation. This ruling held him accountable in civil court for alleged sexual abuse against her decades earlier. Trump is also confronting 91 criminal charges across four distinct indictments. He has entered a plea of not guilty and has refuted any wrongdoing in each case.