Trump to hold rally on day he claims judge is making him miss mother-in-law’s funeral

Donald Trump is planning to hold a campaign rally on the same day that he claimed a New York judge is forcing him to miss his mother-in-law’s funeral.

Last week, the former president asked US District Judge Lewis Kaplan to delay his defamation trial with magazine columnist E Jean Carroll, due to begin on Tuesday.

Mr Trump’s attorneys claimed that the trial clashes with the funeral of Melania Trump’s mother Amalija Knavs and that he needs to be “with family” at that time.

“Accordingly, President Trump, who plans to attend his trial, will not be able to be present on Wednesday and Thursday as he will be traveling to be with his family and be attending the funeral,” his attorney Alina Habba wrote.

“Given that this is one of life’s sad unexpected realities, President Trump would greatly appreciate this minor accommodation during this difficult time.”

The judge turned down the request, saying that the trial date had been set seven months ago – and delaying it could cause issues for prospective jurors, counsel, court staff, as well as problems around logistics and security arrangements.

“Accordingly, the Court denied the request but noted that defendant is free to attend the funeral, the trial or both,” the judge wrote.

Mr Trump – who is not required to attend the trial and who declined to appear for any of his first defamation trial with Ms Carroll last year – lashed out at the judge over his decision, both on Truth Social and during an Iowa caucus event.

“Lewis Kaplan, the terrible, biased, irrationally angry Clinton-appointed Judge in the Bergdorf’s Hoax, refused to postpone the sham trial next week, even in light of the funeral of my beloved Mother-in-law,” he wrote on Truth Social.

Donald Trump in Iowa on Sunday ahead of