With jury selection moving forward early this week as part of Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York City on allegations of falsifying business records in connection to hush money from before the 2016 presidential election, Trump’s “getting to hear” perspectives from everyday Americans on his public presence, one observer wrote.
One of those participating in jury selection told the court on Tuesday: “Obviously I know about Trump [because] I’m a female, and he has targeted females,” according to legal journalist Tyler McBrien. “Obviously she won’t be on the jury. It is nice though that Trump is getting to hear what the majority of Americans think about him instead of just the people he surrounds himself with 24/7 who worship him,” said former federal prosecutor and current media figure Ron Filipkowski on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Some of the other trappings of the whole thing have also turned into somewhat of a (characteristic) mess, with reports saying that Trump was seemingly dozing off in court two days in a row (Monday and Tuesday) and the former president continuing to angrily rant on social media amid his trial. Trump must attend proceedings in light of the specifically criminal nature of the case, contrasting with multiple civil trials that he’s faced on claims from sources including New York state Attorney General Letitia James and writer E. Jean Carroll.
“This conflicted, Trump Hating Judge won’t let me respond to people that are on TV lying and spewing hate all day long. He is running rough shod over my lawyers and legal team. The New York System of “Justice” is being decimated by critics from all over the World. I want to speak, or at least be able to respond. Election Interference! RIGGED, UNCONSTITUTIONAL TRIAL! Take off the Gag Order!!!” Trump complained early on Tuesday. Trump, in connection to his own history of creating argued threats, is not blocked from speaking about the core of the proceedings at all — just from targeting witnesses, jurors, and other individuals adjacent to proceedings.
