President Donald Trump on Friday suggested that criticism of Florida Federal Judge Aileen Cannon during her handling of his case may not have been “legal.”
Why It Matters
Cannon was appointed by Trump to the bench in the Southern District of Florida. She was the presiding judge over his federal case involving accusations that he mishandled classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Palm Beach, Florida.
Cannon garnered praise from Republicans, and particularly MAGA, because of her rulings in the case. She dismissed the case last July, ruling that special counsel Jack Smith had not been properly appointed.
What To Know
During a speech at the Department of Justice on Friday, Trump spoke about Cannon.
“We had an amazing judge in Florida, and her name is Aileen Cannon,” he said. “And I didn’t know her; I still don’t know her. I don’t believe I ever spoke to her even during the trial. But I did appoint her, federal judge. And these fake lawyers, these horrible human beings were hitting her so hard.
“They were playing the ref. I don’t think it’s legal. I don’t think it’s legal, they might as well go out and just shout it in a courthouse. They were saying ‘she is slow, she wasn’t smart, she was totally biased, she loved Trump.’ I didn’t know her other than I saw her the couple days I was in court, and I thought her decorum was amazing.”
Trump went on to say that she was the “model of what a judge should be,” that she was “tough.” The president called her “courageous” for how she handled the criticism, adding that it had no impact on her or his case.
“She correctly dismissed it,” Trump added.
What People Are Saying
Former Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg told Newsweek via X, formerly Twitter, on Friday: “There’s that pesky thing called the First Amendment that protects such speech. It hasn’t been overturned yet by Executive Order, nor can it be.
“Some of the rhetoric against Judge Cannon has been over the top, but she has brought much of the criticism on herself through her rulings in Trump’s criminal case. In fact, some of the criticism came from Trump-appointed judges in the conservative 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.”
Democratic political strategist Chris Jackson, on X on Friday: “So it’s not legal to criticize her, but they want to impeach judges they disagree with? 🤷”
Former U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade told Newsweek via email on Friday: “Trump’s speech today at the Department of Justice was a sickening breach of the department’s principles for the past 50 years, throughout administrations of both parties. Since Watergate, the Justice Department has worked diligently to avoid partisan politics to ensure even-handed administration of justice and public confidence in its work. Using that platform to engage in partisan attacks and accuse former Department leadership of weaponizing law enforcement is a disgusting betrayal of those values.
“It is not a violation of the law of criticize a judge or their opinions, nor should a judge be impeached for applying the law as they see fit.”
Charlie Kirk, CEO and founder of conservative Turning Point USA, on X on Friday: “The DOJ speech from Trump was very symbolic. He is the political exile who triumphantly returned to the institution that tried to politically assassinate him.”
What Happens Next
“We will expel the rogue actors and corrupt forces from our government,” Trump, who also had federal charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election dismissed last year,” said on Friday. “We will expose, very much expose their egregious crimes and severe misconduct of which was levels never seen anything like it.
“It’s going to be legendary. And going to also be legendary for the people that are able to seek it out and bring justice. We will restore the scales of justice in America, and we will ensure that such abuses never happen again in our country.”
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