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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Hugo Lowell in New York

Trump to escalate blame on trial judge Juan Merchan if sentenced to prison

a side-by-side image of Juan Merchan and Donald Trump
Donald Trump will hold the judge responsible for how the sentence affects his campaign, his inner circle said. Composite: AP, Getty Images

Donald Trump is determined to avoid jail, but if he does get handed a prison sentence after his conviction on 34 felony counts in New York last week, the former president’s inner circle is certain he will lay the blame squarely at the judge’s feet, sources familiar with the matter said.

The precise way Trump might blame the judge, Juan Merchan, remains unclear because Trump has been avoidant of the issue and the matter was not resolved when he huddled with his top advisers at a Trump Tower meeting immediately after the verdict on Thursday, the sources said.

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