British broadcaster Piers Morgan encouraged former President Donald Trump to attend his son Barron's graduation in defiance of Judge Juan M. Merchan's order requiring him to attend every day of his alleged "hush money" trial.
Upon the trial's Monday commencement, Judge Merchan ordered Trump to appear in court for the duration of his trial and threatened the former president with arrest if he failed to comply.
Trump later commented on Merchan's demand after court broke for the day.
"Looks like the judge will not let me go to the graduation of my son, who has worked very, very hard," Trump said. "He's a great student. Very proud of the fact that he did so well."
"[He] was looking forward for years to have graduation with his mother and father there. Looks like the judge isn't gonna allow me to escape this scam," he added.
Morgan discussed Merchan's demands during a Monday appearance on Fox News' The Five.
"I think this is one of the most pathetic, petty, self-harming acts of political suicide I've ever witnessed," Morgan said. "Donald Trump should go to his son's graduation."
"Go to the graduation. Every parent in America, whether they like you or hate you will go, 'Yeah, I'd have done that too,'" Morgan added.
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Morgan reiterated the "hush money" case against the former president was "utterly ridiculous."
"There are plenty of reasons to criticize Trump," Morgan continued. "There are plenty of more cases down the line, where there's probably a more serious case against him.
"This is completely nonsensical to me that you would take a former President of the United States, and you would put him in a courtroom over hush money to potentially a one-night stand with a porn star, and if he's found guilty, he may get a ten-year prison sentence," Morgan added. "Have you all lost your minds, America?"
Morgan then noted the case brought against Trump was a bad strategy and would "almost guarantee" Trump's re-election this November.
"The only thing that could absolutely guarantee it is if he's found guilty and put in a prison cell," Morgan said. "At that moment, Trump wins by a landslide."
He reiterated he believed the case was "farcical," and said critics of the former president who were tuning into the broadcast and disagreed with his assessment had "lost [their] minds."
Son Barron is scheduled to graduate from Oxbridge Academy in Palm Beach, Florida later this month.
