In a historic first, Trump's criminal hush money trial kicks off in New York
Donald Trump becomes the first former U.S. president to face a criminal trial on Monday in a case involving hush money paid to a porn star that could keep him tied up in court for weeks and complicate his bid to win back the White House.
Trump, 77, is required to attend the trial in Manhattan, which is expected to last through May. Jury selection is expected to take about a week, followed by witness testimony.
The block in front of the Manhattan courthouse was closed off, with a maze of police barricades shuttling a small army of reporters into the first layer of security. A handful of protesters, gathered in the plaza across the street, carried hand-painted signs reading «LOSER» and «convict Trump already.»
Though the case is regarded by some legal experts as the least consequential of the four criminal prosecutions he faces, it is the only one guaranteed to go to trial before the Nov. 5 election.
Trump has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could still hold office but Reuters/Ipsos polling shows a guilty verdict could hobble his prospects.
The businessman-turned-politician, who served as president from 2017 to 2021, has used past court appearances to rally his supporters and claim he is being persecuted by his political enemies.
New York state prosecutors accuse him of falsifying records to cover up a $130,000 payment in the waning days of the 2016 presidential campaign to buy the silence of porn star Stormy Daniels about a 2006 sexual encounter
