Trump 'Hush Money' Trial Begins Today

Jury selection in former President Donald Trump’s ‘hush money’ criminal trial begins in Manhattan, New York today – kicking off what could be the only one of four criminal cases against Trump to go to trial before the presidential election in November. Jury selection could last up to two weeks.

• According to New York law, the trial will not be televised. Trump is expected to appear in court four days a week with a court recess likely on Wednesdays. Even without a conviction, the trial will upend his campaign schedule and bring an embarrassing episode for Trump back into the spotlight during a key period of presidential campaigning.
• Political implications: A Quinnipiac University poll from March found that only 29 percent of voters said they'd be less likely to support Trump if he were to be convicted - a figure was largely made up of people who weren't likely to vote for him anyway.
• The Manhattan case is often reported as the least threatening to Trump. However, Presiding Judge, Juan Merchan, has appeared open the Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s framing of the case as election interference, rather than merely the misdemeanour charge of falsification of business records, opening Trump up to more severe criminal repercussions.
• Trump said at a press conference on Friday, alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) at Mar-a-Lago, that he would “absolutely” testify at the trial, but it is unclear if his legal team will risk allowing Trump to be questioned under oath.