Former President Donald Trump speaks to the press in Manhattan state court in New York, Monday, April 15, 2024, after the first day of his trial over charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016. began his day as a criminal defendant lashing out at the judge and prosecutors, casting himself as a victim and angrily posting on social media.
“This is political persecution,” he steamed after arriving with a phalanx of lawyers and several senior aides, but without his wife or other family members. “This is an assault on our country,” he went on. Such behavior would not be tolerated in a criminal courtroom and Judge Juan Merchan made clear Trump could be sent to jail and prosecuted separately if he were to engage in such disruptive behavior.At times, he was seen whispering and passing notes with Todd Blanche, his lead attorney. But during other stretches, Trump slouched forward, casting his gaze toward the ceiling, or leaned back in his chair with his arms folded and his eyes closed.
“We think that it is important for the court to remind Mr. Trump that he is a criminal defendant and that he is under the court’s supervision," one prosecutor, Christopher Conroy, said. While Trump has complained about being taken off the campaign trail, he has been keeping a relatively light schedule of public events since he locked up the GOP nomination last month, with most of his rallies scheduled on weekends anyway. Instead, he has been focused on fundraising as he tries to close the gap with his Democratic rival, President Joe Biden.
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