During an interview on Saturday, Mary Trump, the niece of former President Donald Trump, said it was “absurd” to think that he would go to jail if ordered.
“I think that it’s absurd for anybody to think that he would willingly go into jail for even a night, even an afternoon, honestly,” she told MSNBC.
Mary Trump was referring to the recent ruling from Judge Juan Merchan, who is presiding over Trump’s hush money trial in New York.
Merchan has placed a gag order on Trump to stop him from publicly commenting about certain people connected to the case. Despite this, Trump has continued to offer his thoughts, resulting in several fines by Merchan.
But earlier this month, the judge ruled that jail time might be an option if Trump continues to break the gag order.
Trump has argued that the gag order is unconstitutional and stops him from exercising his freedom of speech. Even after being threatened with jail time, Trump didn’t seem worried, saying he would be “very proud” to go to jail.
“This judge has given me a gag order and said you’ll go to jail if you violate it,” Trump told reporters. “And frankly, you know what, our Constitution is much more important than jail. It’s not even close. I’ll do that sacrifice any day.”
Mary Trump shared that if her uncle does go to jail for violating the gar order, she hopes “it’s for real.”
“It’s not that he’s going to get some suite at a fancy hotel that’s guarded. He is there in a cell, without his phone, just like any other American would be,” she said.
She went on to say that she thinks Trump would be a different man after serving time.
“Honestly, I just don’t think he could handle it. He would love the martyrdom, but I don’t believe for a second that he is willing to go to jail for real. No way,” she said.
