On Monday, Donald Trump made history as the first former US president to undergo trial in a criminal case, appearing in a Manhattan court to address charges linked to a hush-money payment to an adult film star. This development could complicate his aspirations of reclaiming the White House.
Dressed in his iconic blue suit and red tie, the 77-year-old Trump sat stoically at the defense table alongside his legal team while photographers captured the moment. Justice Juan Merchan presided over the proceedings, commencing about thirty minutes later.
Trump’s presence is mandatory throughout the trial, which is anticipated to extend until May. The process of selecting 12 jurors and six alternates from Manhattan residents is estimated to take approximately a week, followed by witness testimonies.
In a swift decision, Merchan dismissed Trump’s second attempt to have him recused from the case, citing a conflict of interest due to the judge’s daughter’s involvement with a political consulting firm serving Democratic clients.
The charges against the former president, brought forth by New York state prosecutors, allege the falsification of records to conceal a $130,000 payment made during the final stages of the 2016 presidential campaign to silence adult film actress Stormy Daniels regarding an alleged 2006 sexual encounter with Trump, which he has vehemently denied.
Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records, filed by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, last year in New York state court.
Security was tight around the courthouse, with police presence and barricades lining the area. Helicopters trailed the motorcade transporting Trump, the Republican contender for the 2024 White House race, from his Trump Tower residence. Across the street, a small group of protesters brandished handmade signs with messages like “loser” and “convict Trump already.”
While this trial is perceived as the least impactful among the four criminal cases Trump faces, legal analysts suggest it’s the only one certain to reach trial before the November 5 election.
