What to know about Trump's hush money trial
- The trial began today with jury selection, which could take up to two weeks because of the large pool of prospective jurors.
- The charges from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg stem from a $130,000 payment Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels at the end of the 2016 election cycle to keep her from going public with an allegation that she and Trump had had an affair. Trump then repaid Cohen in installments marked as legal fees in company records.
- The proceedings mark the first time a former president has faced a criminal trial; Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records. He has denied the affair and pleaded not guilty to the charges, which he says are politically motivated.
- Trump is required to be present for the trial, which will take place four days a week and could last eight weeks.
- Judge Juan Merchan began the day's proceedings by reviewing pending motions. He ruled against a request that he recuse himself from the trial.
Listen to a summary of today's events on WhatsApp
Trump criticizes trial outside courtroom
Trump walked out of the courtroom and addressed a camera in the hallway, saying that the judge's refusal to allow him to attend Supreme Court arguments next week is proof of his unfairness.
"Looks like the judge is not going to allow me to escape this scam," Trump said.
Moments before, the judge denied a request for the trial to be paused so Trump could attend Supreme Court arguments about whether he has presidential immunity in a separate criminal case in federal court in Washington, D.C.
Trump is required to be at the New York case. But there is no requirement that parties attend Supreme Court arguments, which Merchan pointed out.
Trump also said that the judge won't allow him to take a day off to attend his son Barron's high school graduation. The judge during today's proceedings said that he wasn't going to rule on that request yet.
Trump attorney asks judge to allow Trump to attend SCOTUS oral arguments later this month
Trump attorney Todd Blanche is asking Merchan to allow the former president to attend oral arguments scheduled for April 25 related to his presidential immunity argument before the Supreme Court in the election interference case. It is the first time Blanche has made that request.
Court adjourned
Court adjourned at 4:40 p.m. ET
Judge wrapping up for the day
The judge is wrapping up for the day after about 10 potential jurors were able to read their survey responses — underscoring just how long the selection process may take. The first half of the day was spent handling motion arguments.
Prospective juror was law clerk for former judge
A prospective juror facing questioning was once a law clerk to former Chief Judge Janet DiFiore of the New York Court of Appeals, New York’s highest court.
DiFiore was nominated to the role of chief judge by then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and confirmed by the state Senate in 2016. She resigned in 2022 amid a dispute with the then-head of the New York State Court Officers Association. Prior to her work as chief judge, DiFiore served as Westchester County district attorney.
Potential juror admits to not knowing what his girlfriend does
One anonymous potential juror — who works as an assistant district attorney in the Bronx — was asked what his girlfriend does for a living.
She works in finance, he said, but he also admitted to not knowing exactly what she does. Maybe he should be happy the jury is anonymous.
Potential juror says 'nobody's above the law'
One potential juror — a man who works as a bookseller — said he could be fair. But didn't think Trump was above the law.
“I feel that nobody is above the law, whether it be a former president, or a sitting president," he said.
Trump heads back to courtroom
Trump is headed back into the courtroom after the short recess.
Court takes a short recess
The jury selection process has paused for a brief recess.
Potential juror excused for saying she has strong opinions about Trump
Merchan dismissed a prospective juror this afternoon after she responded "Yes" to a question on the jury selection questionnaire about whether she had opinions about Trump.
Potential jurors are now reading their survey responses
Each potential juror had to fill out a 42-question survey. The first 18 are now reading through their answers.
Prospective jurors stretch their necks to look at Trump
Potential jurors who entered the courtroom with the first group were stretching their necks from the rows to get a look at Trump.
One woman sitting toward the back giggled and put her hand over her mouth, and then looked at another potential juror seated next to her with raised eyebrows.
More than half of the 96 potential jurors in first group have been excused
More than half of the 96 potential jurors who were initially in the courtroom have been excused after Merchan asked them if they feel cannot be impartial and fair or cannot serve for some other reason.
Of those who were excused, more than two dozen were white women, according to a pool report from inside the courtroom.
Merchan reads a list of names of people who could play a role
The judge told the potential jurors that a number of figures could figure into the case in determining if any of them know them.
The names he read included: Rudy Giuliani, Sharon Churcher, Dan Scavino, Keith Schiller, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, Melania Trump, John McEntee, Kellyanne Conway, and Jared Kushner