Donald Trump slammed the “Trump-hating judge” as the second day of jury selection began in his blockbuster hush money trial.
Speaking before entering the courtroom in Manhattan, Trump directed his ire at Judge Juan Merchán and also blamed Joe Biden for being on trial.
When he arrived at the courthouse, he winked at a court official and mouthed, “How are you?” before taking a seat.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to falsifying business records over a $160,000 payment to cover up an alleged affair with porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
Donald Trump attends second day of jury selection in his silence case
Judge Juan Merchán poses for a photograph in his office in New York, on Thursday, March 14, 2020.
Former President Donald Trump awaits the start of the trial on the second day of jury selection at Manhattan Criminal Court, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in New York.
Outside court he said: “I was paying a lawyer and I wrote it down as a legal expenses account.” Some accountant (I didn’t know) wrote it down as a legal expense. That’s exactly what it was. And they accuse you of that?
‘He should be right now in Pennsylvania, in Florida, in many other states, North Carolina and Georgia, campaigning.
This is all coming from the Biden White House because the guy can’t put two sentences together. He can’t campaign. They are using this to try to win a chosen one. And it does not work.’
Trump arrived at court wearing a dark blue suit, a blue shirt and a blue tie, a change from his usual bright red tie.
After entering the courtroom, he sat at a table with his lawyers and looked ahead, tilting his head from side to side and appearing impassive.
Trump’s entourage includes Margo Martin (C), deputy communications director.
Donald Trump speaks before second day of jury selection begins
The former president and presumptive Republican nominee criticized the trial and complained about a gag order.
It prohibits him from publicly commenting on jurors, potential witnesses and others related to his criminal cases.
“This conflict, the judge who hates Trump won’t let me respond to the people who are on TV lying and spewing hate all day,” he wrote on his Truth Social network. “He is trampling on my lawyers and my legal team.”
The first day of Trump’s trial in Manhattan ended Monday with no one being chosen to serve on the 12-person jury or as one of the six alternates.
Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels in 2006
Donald Trump and former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal, who will appear in the case
Dozens of people were dismissed after saying they did not believe they could be fair, but a second group of about 100 potential jurors has not yet been questioned.
The criminal trial is the first of any former US commander in chief and also the first of Trump’s four indictments to go to trial.
Trump is accused of falsifying internal Trump Organization records as part of a plan to bury stories that he feared could damage his 2016 campaign, particularly since his reputation was taking a hit at the time over comments he had made about women.
The allegations against him center on bribes to two women, porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal, who said they had extramarital sexual encounters with Trump years earlier.
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