Trump Will Be Allowed to Attend Barron's Graduation

UPDATE Apr 30, 2024 11:41 AM CDT

Donald Trump may have been held in contempt of court on Tuesday, but the judge gave him a break on a different matter: The former president will be allowed to attend son Barron's high school graduation in Florida on May 17, reports Newsweek. Trump had previously complained he would be barred from attending, but Judge Juan Merchan said Tuesday that he could go. It was not immediately clear whether the trial would pause or Trump would merely be excused from attending that day, notes the New York Times.

Apr 15, 2024 6:50 PM CDT

After the first day of his hush-money trial, Donald Trump complained that it looks like Judge Juan Merchan won't let him go to his youngest son's high school graduation. "That I can't go to my son's graduation or that I can't go to the United States Supreme Court. That I'm not in Georgia, or Florida, or North Carolina campaigning like I should be," he said, per the Palm Beach Post. "It's perfect for the radical left Democrats. It's exactly what they want." Barron Trump's graduation from Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach, Florida, is scheduled for May 17. Merchan, who predicted that the trial would last around six weeks, didn't rule Monday on Trump's request to attend the graduation, CNN reports.

The judge did, however, reject a request from Trump attorney Todd Blanche for Trump to be allowed to attend next week's Supreme Court hearing on presidential immunity, ABC News reports. "Arguing before the Supreme Court is a big deal; I can understand why your client wants to be there," Merchan said. But, the judge said, Trump is not required to attend arguments in the Supreme Court case. "Your client is a criminal defendant in New York County Supreme Court," Merchan said. "He's required to be here." Jury selection in the case will resume on Tuesday. (More Trump hush-money trial stories.)