Four days passed first criminal case the president Donald Trump was showing signs of frustration.
He had listened to many New Yorkers say unpleasant things about him, had been restricted from speaking in court, and had even been ordered to sit down by a judge.
“Sir, could you please sit down,” said the soft-spoken judge Juan Mercan, who is presiding over Trump’s silence trial, as the former president rose to leave on Friday, thinking the proceedings were over.
As soon as Trump returned to the defense table, Merchan thanked him.
Trump left the room moments later, looking exhausted, and promised to testify in court, calling it a “witch hunt.”
His comments capped a week of power changes and accusations.
Trump, who says prosecutors used hush money payments to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, is seeking a parallel lawsuit in the court of public opinion.
“Instead of being in Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina or many other places today, I’m sitting in a courthouse all day,” the presumptive Republican presidential nominee told reporters Friday. continue for another four or five weeks.”
The trial is expected to last up to six weeks.
Trump, who is required to appear in court during the trial, also accused the district attorney’s office of interfering in the 2024 presidential election on behalf of President Joe Biden by “keeping me out of the campaign.”
The judge claimed she was “not allowed to talk” after saying she had to tone down her social media attacks on potential witnesses in the case, and later told supporters in a fundraising email that she was “TOTALLY SHUT UP”.
Much of Friday’s drama took place outside the courthouse where one person was he burned himself in the park across from the courthouse. After the police put out the fire, he was taken to the hospital.
In the courtroom, Trump sat at the defense table as potential jurors were asked questions aimed at limiting their ability to be impartial.
One alternate juror was excused due to concerns that he believed would interfere with his ability to “be completely fair.” Another was questioned about the words “I believe he is the devil” on a social network referring to the former president.
“I don’t remember writing that,” the man said before being fired.
Trump was particularly interested in the man who volunteered for Democratic rival Hillary Clinton’s campaign in 2016.
The social media posts prompted several other potential jurors to file motions to dismiss Trump, even after they said they could give Trump a fair trial.
A retired New York high school teacher says she can be “absolutely” fair and impartial, but has been forced to answer questions about dug-up social media posts that revealed she attended a “massive anti-Trump rally” in 2017. A photo he tagged himself on the Internet.
He was sorry.
On Friday afternoon, Merchan seated the full 12-person jury and appointed six alternates. All 18 will meet for the first time on Monday morning to begin their opening statements.
Trump’s defense team looked noticeably downcast during the afternoon proceedings, with attorney Susan Necheles slumped in her seat, arms crossed, until she addressed the judge later in the day. Attorney General Todd Blanche sat next to Trump, and the two sat and watched, occasionally whispering to each other.
After Merchan said the president would not consider immunity and other motions, Blanche insisted there was still much to discuss.
“It sounds suspicious that the 10 minutes we spent on Monday arguing this … without new facts, new application of the law,” Merchan responded.
“There is nothing else to argue again,” he said as the first week of the trial drew to a close. “We will have opening statements on Monday morning. This trial is starting.”