Trump did not disrupt major technical proceedings as he had in other cases.
New York:
“Good morning, Mr. Trump.”
Donald Trump sat flanked by his attorneys in Manhattan Criminal Court on Monday, the serious expression on his face belying the innocuous greeting from the New York judge.
As his legal team argued with prosecutors over what evidence could be admitted, the first former U.S. president to face a criminal trial listened intently and said nothing except to respond to a few words from Judge Juan Merchant. .
The case, which could have huge ramifications for Trump and the country, is being heard in Courtroom 1530, a grand, scaffolding-covered Art Deco courthouse on New York City’s Central Street.
As Merchants announced the start of the trial, Trump wore his signature red tie with a white shirt, dark blue suit and an American flag lapel pin.
The 45th president stared defiantly at the judge, whom he accused of “corruption” on his Truth social platform after Silence repeatedly resisted defense requests for him to recuse himself.
“We want justice to be done, that’s all we want,” the judge said.
The case, expected to last up to two months, focuses on payments made to former adult film star Stormy Daniels just as Trump was on the verge of winning the 2016 election.
– “Political persecution”? –
Trump did not disrupt major technical proceedings as he had in other cases.
That includes a civil fraud trial in a nearby court that resulted in a $355 million civil penalty, which he is appealing.
Time may be working against Trump, who is seeking to oust President Joe Biden from the White House in the November polls, as jury selection alone could take up to two weeks.
More than 100 of the 500 potential jurors will be in court at any one time.
Trump often consults with the lawyers sitting on either side of him, shaking his head in exasperation when prosecutors make comments he disagrees with.
“It’s true,” he muttered at one point in response to a tape of him bragging about how well he treated women.
However, he did not react when prosecutors played the infamous clip of him describing grabbing women’s genitals.
The presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election set the tone for the trial as he sat down at a brown wooden table, folded his hands and spread out their papers on the table.
The 77-year-old billionaire accused it of being an “attack on America” and a “witch hunt” and could face jail time if convicted.
“This is a failing country, it’s a country run by incompetent people, and it has everything to do with this case,” Trump said. “This is really an attack on a political opponent and nothing more, so I It’s an honor to be here.”
Moments later, five photographers were brought in to capture the unprecedented scene of a former president sitting at the defendant’s table.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
