Former President Trump was back in a New York courtroom Monday, this time for the start of his first criminal trial in a matter involving a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election.
The trial began Monday with debate over what evidence would and would not be allowed in the case. Jury selection followed in the afternoon, in which nearly 100 people arrived in the courtroom where Trump was seated at the defense table. More than half of them were almost immediately excused when they admitted they couldn’t be impartial in the case.
Trump makes history as the first former or current U.S. president to ever face a criminal trial in a case that also made him the first former commander in chief to be criminally indicted.
Jury selection is expected to resume Tuesday.
See below for a recap of the first day of proceedings at the courthouse in Manhattan.
Judge Juan Merchan has adjourned the trial for the day.
A handful of prospective jurors read their answers to the questionnaires, but it’s still very early in the process. The lawyers have not yet questioned any juror.
The Hill will be back with live coverage from the courthouse when the trial resumes Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. EDT.
— Zach Schonfeld
Trump attorney Todd Blanche said Trump wanted to attend next week’s Supreme Court presidential immunity oral argument.
Judge Juan Merchan just rejected the request for Trump to skip the New York trial to be in Washington, D.C., that day to hear the high court’s arguments.
“He’s required to be here, he’s not required to be at the Supreme Court,” Merchan said.
— Zach Schonfeld
A man was asked whether he has any strong opinions or firmly held beliefs about whether a former president may be criminally charged in state court.
“I feel nobody is above the law, whether it be a sitting president, a former president, or a janitor,” he responded.
— Zach Schonfeld
A prospective juror gave insight into the reason for being dismissed when leaving the Manhattan courtroom where jury selection is currently underway.
“I just couldn’t do it,” the juror said, according to a pool report.
— Ella Lee
A woman originally from Texas who lives in Harlem was excused after she answered “yes” to the following question:
“Do you have any strong opinions or firmly held beliefs about former President Donald Trump, or the fact that he is a current candidate for president that would interfere with your ability to be a fair and impartial juror?”
— Zach Schonfeld
Trump has been intensely paying attention to jurors’ answers to the questionnaire, holding up a paper copy in front of him and reading along.
He looked over at a woman when she said she was not a native New Yorker and was from Texas.
— Zach Schonfeld
Trump at times has been closing his eyes in the courtroom, leading to intense debate among the press corps as to whether he fell asleep during some of the court proceedings throughout the day.
Trump has spent considerable lengths of time motionless and leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed, also appearing to nod off.
— Zach Schonfeld
More than half of prospective jurors in the first group of 96 New Yorkers were excused from the jury pool after they answered affirmatively that they could not be “fair and impartial” when it comes to Trump, according to a pool report by reporters in the room.
At least 50 of the first slate of potential jurors were excused for that reason. The rest of the jurors are expected to fill out a 42-question survey probing issues that will help Trump’s legal team and state prosecutors narrow down the bunch to just 12 jurors and six alternates.
Nine more prospective jurors were let go after signaling they could not serve for any other reason. Those reasons were not disclosed.
More than two dozen excused jurors were white women, according to the pool.
Now only around 34 of the original 96 prospective jurors from the initial panel remain.
— Ella Lee
Nearly 100 New Yorkers have filled the Manhattan courtroom where Trump’s hush money trial is now underway, occupying every available seat in the courtroom gallery and jury box.
As Judge Juan Merchan details the basics of the case and being a juror, the 96 prospective jurors are sitting attentively in a courtroom with Trump, according to a pool report.
A male juror in the jury box studied the prosecuting team and two female jurors spoke to each other, one gesturing toward Trump. Several jurors craned their necks to get a peek at the former president.
The gallery rows in the wood-paneled courtroom are lined with more than a dozen court officers.
— Ella Lee
Jury selection is now officially underway. Judge Juan Merchan kicked things off by introducing Trump and the lawyers on both sides.
Trump stood up and turned to face the jurors behind him with a tight-lipped smirk when being introduced, but he kept his hands at his side and made no gestures.
Once inside, some jurors stretched their neck to get a look at Trump. One woman giggled and put her hand over her mouth, looking at the person seated next to her, according to a pool report.
Some were seated next to Trump aides Jason Miller and Margo Martin, who are in the back of the courtroom and have been on their cell phones.
— Zach Schonfeld
The first panel of 96 prospective jurors are entering the courtroom.
Court officials cut off the video feed to the overflow room to prevent the audience from seeing their faces as they walk in.
— Zach Schonfeld
The first panel of 96 prospective jurors have entered the courtroom and were sworn in.
Court officials temporarily cut off the video feed to the overflow room to prevent the audience from seeing their faces as they walked in, but the feed has since resumed.
— Zach Schonfeld
Prospective jurors have begun going through security, yet another unique aspect of serving on the panel for the first criminal trial of a former president. Two metal detectors are stationed on the 15th floor, where the trial is taking place.
Meanwhile, Trump has been chatting with his lawyer, Todd Blanche. Trump has been quite animated as compared to the morning, making a series of large hand gestures.
— Zach Schonfeld
The first group of potential jurors in Trump’s hush money trial will be comprised of 96 New Yorkers.
The individuals, whose names will remain secret to the press and public, are expected to head to the courtroom shortly. Trump’s attorneys and state prosecutors will know their identities.
— Ella Lee
Things turned heated as Judge Juan Merchan ordered Trump’s lawyers to designate their trial exhibits in the next 24 hours following a complaint from prosecutors.
Merchan said Trump’s team should’ve already done so and took aim at how they spent the final weeks leading up to trial filing an array of motions seeking delays.
“I don’t know how you managed to get all those motions out,” Merchan said.
But Trump attorney Susan Necheles said prosecutors were “making up a rule” and that her team is not obligated to produce the exhibits yet.
— Zach Schonfeld