President Donald Trump (R) arrived in court this morning for the beginning of his first criminal trial. President Trump will be present as his defense counsel and the Manhattan prosecutors impanel a jury selection for his hush money trial.
Jury selection for the trial is expected to take anywhere between a few days to more than two weeks as a jury of 12 and 6 alternate jurors are selected. Ahead of his arrival in court, President Trump released a statement on social media along with an advertisement denouncing the trial.
On Truth Social, President Trump wrote that "just four years ago I was a very popular and successful President of the United States, getting more votes than any sitting President in history." However, things have changed as he now finds himself "in Criminal Court, before a totally conflicted Judge, a Corrupt Prosecutor, a Legal System in CHAOS, a State being overrun by violent crime and corruption, and Crooked Joe Biden's henchmen 'Rigging the System' against his political opponent."
President Trump however reaffirmed that he is fighting for the country and that what he is currently facing is "election interference."
"We are now a Nation in serious Decline, a Failing Nation, but we will soon be a Great Nation Again."
President Trump is expected to attend the duration of his trail, which removes him from the campaign trail. However, the court will not hold hearings on Wednesdays or during the weekends, which the Republican challenger is expected to use for campaign days.
The former president has requested that the trial not be held on May 17th for him to be able to attend his son, Barron Trump's high school graduation, but Judge Juan Merchan, the judge for President Trump's trial, said this morning that he is not prepared to rule on his requisition.
