Trump sits in Manhattan court as jury selection in the Stormy Daniels hush money case begins

The defiant Donald Trump made history as the first former president to face a criminal trial when he appeared in court Monday for jury selection in the hush money case in Manhattan.

The former president, 77, faces 34 charges of falsifying company records to cover up a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels over an alleged affair.

Each charge, which he has vehemently denied, carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison, but if found guilty he could be fined or placed on probation as a first-time offender.

Trump’s day got off to a bad start when Judge Juan Merchan denied a request from his legal team to avenge himself, claiming the former president used a “series of inferences, innuendos and unsupported speculation.”

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Merchan also said he was not ready to say whether the high-profile defendant could attend the May 17 graduation ceremony of his 18-year-old son Barron, who falls in the middle of the case.

Trump walked into court wearing a dark blue suit and red tie after telling reporters the case was “outrageous” and an “attack on America.”

“This is a persecution like never before. It is an attack on America and that is why I am very proud to be here,” he said.

He then sat down with his lawyer at his desk with his hands together on the desk.

Trump entered behind his lead attorney Todd Blanche, paused for a split second, licked his lips and then began walking down the center aisle of the courtroom.

“Good morning, Mr. Trump,” Judge Juan Merchan said warmly as he officially announced the case and invited the lawyers to introduce themselves.

Trump has frequently criticized Merchan and issued a gag order after dismissing his daughter’s ties to the Democratic party.

The presumptive Republican nominee for president looked defiant as he left Trump Tower Monday morning, waving to waiting fans and photographers as he entered his motorcade.

Before leaving, he ranted on his social media platform Truth Social about the “rigged” case and the “corrupt” indictment.

Trump walked into court wearing a dark blue suit and red tie after telling reporters the case was “outrageous” and an “attack on America”

The presumptive Republican nominee for president sat at the defense table next to his attorney Todd Blanche with his hands clasped

“When I walk into that courtroom, I know I will have the love of 200 million Americans behind me, and I will FIGHT for the FREEDOM of 325 MILLION AMERICANS!” He wrote.

Trump and his team of lawyers argue that the prosecution is political and that the trial is a “witch hunt” designed to prevent him from running for president again.

The court was surrounded by protesters and photographers as he made the four-mile journey downtown to 100 Center Street.

Lawyers from both sides now have the arduous task of choosing a panel of twelve impartial jurors from a group of hundreds of Manhattan residents.

Experts believe the selection process could take between five days and two weeks.

The trial itself – which will last between six and eight weeks – will be full of testimony and drama resulting from years of scandal.

The trial on claims that the former president, 77, falsified records to cover up payments to porn star Stormy Daniels was due to begin on March 25 but will now begin on April 15.

Trump told reporters the case was “outrageous” and “this is a prosecution unlike anything anyone has ever seen before.”

The former president, 77, faces 34 charges of falsifying company records to cover up a $130,000 hush money payment he made to Stormy Daniels over an alleged affair

Trump walks into the Criminal Court in downtown Manhattan with lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove and waves to the gathered crowd

Trump and his team of lawyers claim the prosecution is political and the trial is a “witch hunt” designed to prevent him from running for president again

Witnesses will testify about lurid allegations of meetings in hotel suites, blockbuster TV interviews and backroom deals involving the presumptive Republican nominee for president.

The case centers on payments to Daniels by Trump’s then-fixer Michel Cohen ahead of the 2016 presidential election to keep her quiet about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump in 2006.

She claims it happened less than four months after Melania Trump gave birth to the couple’s son, Barron.

There have been legal twists and turns around every corner since then, as Trump has spent four years in the White House and is now in the midst of a bid for another term.

Journalists and members of the public had to pass through two sets of airport-level security before entering the crowded courtroom to watch jury selection – the main courtroom would be packed with potential jurors.

The second set of security measures included a fingertip search of bags, removing any glass bottles or containers.

The court was surrounded by barricades and a heavy police presence as the former president entered the courtroom

The court was surrounded by protesters and photographers as Trump’s motorcade made the four-mile journey downtown to 100 Center Street.

Camera crews and media set up outside the courthouse on day one of the hush money trial of Stormy Daniels

Anti-Trump protesters stand with large banners outside the Manhattan Criminal Court House at 100 Center Street in New York City on Monday awaiting the former president’s arrival

A Trump supporter holds a flag in support of the former president’s re-election outside the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse on Monday before his arrival

No one was allowed to leave the courtroom when Trump arrived on the 15th floor. One member of the public protested that he could not leave, got into an altercation with court staff and asked for one of their names.

The overflow room had three large TVs broadcasting a live stream from the main courtroom. The trial will not be televised to the general public.

The TV screens showed the table where Trump and his lawyers would sit, the prosecutor’s table and the judge’s table.

The jury was not shown to avoid identifying it.