By Seun Opejobi
Former President of the United States, US, Donald Trump, has likened himself to South African anti-apartheid hero, Nelson Mandela.
Trump made the remark while accusing Judge Juan Merchan of infringing upon his rights to free speech and expression, and breaking the law.
The Republican White House hopeful has been indicted in four different criminal cases.
The cases may lead to the 77-year-old real estate mogul ending in jail.
In one of those cases, he was accused of paying hush money to a onetime porn star before the 2016 presidential election, which he won over Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton.
The trial is set to begin on April 15, and Judge Merchan has imposed a partial gag order on Trump, who has frequently attacked the judge on social media.
However, taking to his Truth Social platform, on Saturday, Trump wrote:
“If this Partisan Hack wants to put me in the ‘clink’ for speaking the open and obvious TRUTH, I will gladly become a Modern Day Nelson Mandela – It will be my GREAT HONOR.”
Mandela spent 27 years in prison before being released and eventually served as South Africa’s president.
He died in 2013.
Trump previously compared himself to Mandela at a 2023 rally, and has also likened himself to Jesus Christ.
