First jurors sworn in after judge's stern warning to Trump

It seems things are about to get under way.

Trump entered the courtroom at 09:30 local time (14:30 BST) accompanied by his lawyers Todd Blanche, Susan Necheles and Emil Bove.

As the former president strolled down the aisle towards the defence table, he winked at a court officer and mouthed, "How are you?"

He then took a seat.

Prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney's office arrived earlier this morning, carrying multiple boxes of documents.

Justice Merchan now has some court business to clear up - outstanding motions and decisions on timing and evidence - before we return to the questioning of potential jurors.

Potential jurors are currently making their way through security.

Donald Trump just briefly spoke to media as he made his way to the courtroom.

He repeated his unsubstantiated claim that the trial is being run by a "Trump-hating judge".

And he says his payment to Michael Cohen was a "legal expense" and it should not have led to the criminal charges he faces in court today.

He took no questions from reporters.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

Donald Trump is on his way to court this morning, but he's also been on Truth Social to vent about his trial.

He says Justice Juan Merchan is a "conflicted, Trump Hating Judge".

And he also makes unsubstantiated claims that the trial is election interference.

Another social media post states his trial is an "assault on America".

Trump frequently uses social media to make commentary on his legal cases and to speak directly to his supporters.

We can likely expect these similar statements to happen throughout the trial, which could last six to eight weeks.

It’s a brisk spring morning here in Manhattan as we convene for the second day of the Donald Trump “hush-money” trial.

We will continue with jury selection, and with so many people and questions to get to, the process will likely take all day.

So far it’s much quieter outside the courthouse.

There aren’t any protesters outside as of yet, though that could change.

At the moment, we’re awaiting Trump’s arrival. They’ve barricaded off the street in front of the courthouse and court employees and press are waiting until we can cross again.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

The former US president's motorcade of black SUVs has left Trump Tower and they are on the way to the courthouse in lower Manhattan.

You can watch a live stream of his arrival by pressing the play button at the top of this page.

On Monday, Trump spoke to media outside the court room before heading in. He may do the same today.

Good morning from the overflow room at Manhattan Criminal Court. I'll be watching for the second day of jury selection in the first criminal trial of a former president.

Yesterday showed the challenges of finding an impartial jury for Donald Trump's trial - within minutes more than half of the first batch of 96 jurors had been excused after they said they could not be impartial.

The day ended with no jurors picked.

We will pick up where we left off yesterday, asking potential jurors 42 questions from a questionnaire.

Trump has been charged with business fraud over hush-money payments to ex-porn actress Stormy Daniels. But paying hush money is not a crime.

So what's this case about?

Here are the words the judge used to explain the case to jurors on Monday:

Quote Message: The allegations are in substance, that Donald Trump falsified business records to conceal an agreement with others to unlawfully influence the 2016 presidential election. Specifically, it is alleged that Donald Trump made or caused false business records to hide the true nature of payments made to Michael Cohen, by characterising them as payment for legal services rendered pursuant to a retainer agreement."

The allegations are in substance, that Donald Trump falsified business records to conceal an agreement with others to unlawfully influence the 2016 presidential election. Specifically, it is alleged that Donald Trump made or caused false business records to hide the true nature of payments made to Michael Cohen, by characterising them as payment for legal services rendered pursuant to a retainer agreement."

Daniels claims she and Trump had sex, and that she accepted $130,000 (£104,500) from his former lawyer Michael Cohen, before the 2016 election (which Trump won) in exchange for her silence about the encounter.

Since the allegations surfaced in 2018, the former president has denied any sexual involvement with Daniels. He's facing 34 counts of fraud, and has pleaded not guilty to all of them.

• Read everything you need to know here

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the second day of Trump’s hush-money trial.

Jury selection got under way late in the day on Monday and by the time court was done, no jurors had been selected.

Picking a jury is expected to take as long as two weeks.

Here is a quick recap of what happened yesterday:

• Scores of New York City police were on hand as outside court, protesters gathered, though the crowd diminished as the day wore on
• Most of the day was taken up with both legal teams wrangling over what evidence could be admitted - including aspects of the infamous Access Hollywood tape
• Trump also faces a potential $3,000 fine for potentially violating his gag order - which does not permit him to insult or threaten - in three social media posts. A hearing on that is scheduled for next week
• By mid-afternoon, the process began to whittle down the pool of New Yorkers who might be jurors
• More than 500 prospective jurors were at the courthouse for the trial, and the first 96 were brought in as a panel to be reviewed by the prosecutors and defence attorneys
• It took just minutes for more than half to be dismissed because they said they could not be impartial
• The remaining jurors then began to share facts about themselves, including which news outlets they prefer and what podcasts they listen to

New York Post/ReutersCopyright: New York Post/Reuters

We're pausing our live coverage of the hush-money trial and will be back again tomorrow.

You had reporting from Kayla Epstein, Madeline Halpert and Nada Tawfik from court in New York, and Brandon Livesay, Phil McCausland and Jessica Murphy were editing.

History was made in Manhattan on Monday as the first criminal trial with a former or current US president as the defendant kicked off.

The day started with Donald Trump shuttling from his flat in Trump Tower to the downtown courthouse, where he denied the allegations he faces while briefly speaking to the media outside.

Scores of armed police were on hand, as lawyers for each side debated what evidence could be admitted - including aspects of the infamous Access Hollywood tape - and began to whittle down the pool of New Yorkers who might be jurors.

More than 500 prospective jurors were at the courthouse for the trial, and the first 96 were brought in as a panel to be reviewed by the prosecutors and defence attorneys.

In a matter of minutes, more than half were dismissed because they said they could not be impartial, in one of the most dramatic moments of the day.

The remaining jurors then began to share facts about themselves - including which news outlets they prefer and what podcasts they listen to - and fielded questions from the attorneys.

The judge also spoke to Trump directly to warn him about his conduct in court. He said that his "important right" to attend the trial would be removed if he disrupts the trial in any way.

Trump also faces a potential $3,000 fine for potentially violating his gag order - which does not permit him to insult or threaten - three times on social media. Justice Merchan said they would sort that issue next week.

Outside court, protesters gathered and argued with one another, though the crowd began to diminish as the day wore on.

BBCCopyright: BBC

A visibly animated prospective juror who wants to be known only as Sarah says: “This was my first jury summons and no other would ever be the same."

She feels that it would have been a “cool experience” to serve on this particular trial because of the historic nature of it.

About the much fraught question of “impartiality”, she said that she would have handled it in a professional manner.

“Everybody deserves a fair trial,” she says with a wide smile.

Just before court adjourns, Trump's lawyers make a final request.

Todd Blanche tried to get him excused to attend next week’s US Supreme Court arguments in the presidential immunity appeal in Washington DC, which conflicts with this trial.

The Manhattan DA wants to keep things moving.

Justice Merchan says it’s important for Trump to be here in person.

Blanche says something to the effect of: they don’t think they should be here at all right now. Justice Merchan zeroes in on that sharply, and asks him to explain.

Perhaps sensing a misstep, Blanche says he had previously objected to having the trial during the campaign season.

The judge notes that he had already ruled against that.

Justice Merchan notes that Trump is a criminal defendant and “he is required to be here.”

“I will see you here next week," he said.

Donald Trump has just started speaking to media.

He said some "amazing things happened today".

He then brings up how the judge may not let him go to his son's high school graduation.

The judge told Trump they would make a call on that closer to the date.

He criticises the judge, and the case. And once again makes the unsubstantiated claim that it is "election interference".

He has repeatedly made these types of allegations regarding his legal troubles.

And with that, he walks away and takes no questions.

Justice Merchan has just wrapped up court for the day. He tells prospective jurors not to read anything about the case.

We're expecting Donald Trump to speak to media on his way out.

You'll be able to watch a live stream of that by pressing the play button at the top of this page.

Amid these very long questionnaires there are some moments of levity.

A juror from the Upper West Side neighbourhood of Manhattan says that his radio listening includes whatever's on when he's "in the shower" or driving, and then clarifies he means the station NPR.

A different man, from the Bronx, admits to the court that his girlfriend works for a bank but "I honestly don’t know what she does".

A woman, answering whether she had ever been signed up for emails from Trump, noted that she may have gotten some emails in the past but that she "unsubscribed".

Justice Merchan has just excused a man from the jury panel after finding out his child was getting married on the West Coast in June.

“I think we should be done by then but I can’t promise,” Merchan told the prospective juror. “Only you can decide if you want to roll the dice. But if you’re with us, you’re with us until the end.”

“I think, to be on the safe side, we should excuse,” Merchan then said.

“Congratulations."

BBCCopyright: BBC

I just ran into a woman who said she was part of the jury pool, but not part of the 96 who were called in today.

They never got to her group and they were just now told they could leave. Court is scheduled to finish for the day at 16:30 local time (21:30 GMT).

She said it had been “just a lot of waiting around”.

She says she was not told ahead of time what trial she could be sitting on, which is standard procedure.

On any given day there can be several trials, and names can be assigned randomly to any of them.