Trump says New York judge assigned to hush-money case 'hates me'

Donald Trump painted a target on the judge who will oversee his prosecution on charges related to a hush-money payoff to porn actress Stormy Daniels.

The former president was indicted by a grand jury Thursday. On Friday, he suggested the New York Supreme Court judge assigned to the case was part of a corrupt scheme with District Attorney Alvin Bragg against him and his longtime chief financial officer, who pleaded guilty in August to a tax fraud scheme involving the Trump Organization.

"The Judge 'assigned' to my Witch Hunt Case, a 'case' that has NEVER BEEN CHARGED BEFORE, HATES ME," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. "His name is Juan Manuel Marchan, was hand picked by Bragg & the Prosecutors, & is the same person who 'railroaded' my 75 year old former CFO, Allen Weisselberg, to take a 'plea' deal (Plead GUILTY, even if you are not, 90 DAYS, fight us in Court, 10 years (life!) in jail."

Weisselberg, who remains jailed at Rikers Island jail in New York City, was pressured by Manhattan prosecutors after his sentencing to testify against Trump, whose post about the judge was reminiscent of attacks he made on U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel over his "Mexican" heritage while overseeing a fraud case in 2016 against Trump University.

"He strong armed Allen," Trump posted, "which a judge is not allowed to do, & treated my companies, which didn't 'plead' VICIOUSLY. APPEALING!"