Donald Trump walked into 100 Center Street on Tuesday morning as a billionaire who owned the property.
The building may house Manhattan’s criminal court, but that didn’t stop the former president from making a series of power moves as he arrived for day two of his hush money trial.
He waved to reporters outside the building and stopped when he arrived on the 15th floor to hold a brief press conference, denouncing the judge and the court, as security officers looked on.
And as he entered courtroom 1530, he winked at a court official and said, “How are you?”
It looked for all the world as if Trump would arrive for just another day at work, rather than a moment in history: the first trial in history of a former American president.
Former President Donald Trump took his seat in courtroom 1530 for day two of his “hush money” trial. He came to spread bonhomie as if he owned the building
Before taking his seat, Trump addressed a small group of reporters on the 15th floor
The performance mixed confidence with a dose of contempt. As Trump took his seat among his lawyers, he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, as if to show that he was so unintimidated that he felt like taking a nap.
The first day of Trump’s history-making trial ended without a single juror “seated” — the technical term for getting through the entire selection process and securing a seat in the jury box.
It showed the magnitude of the task facing lawyers on both sides as they try to find 12 people, plus six alternates, who are able to put personal feelings aside and judge Trump impartially.
More than half of the original group of 96 raised their hands when asked if they didn’t believe they could be honest, and were excused.
Trump’s motorcade stopped at the court just before 9 a.m. on Tuesday. His entry was hidden from reporters by an NYPD dump truck, although he could be seen quickly waving.
Trump has denied 34 allegations that he tampered with company records to conceal payments to two women in exchange for their silence on alleged affairs.
In some ways, this case is the least serious of the four cases facing the former president. But it could be the most consequential, as will likely be concluded before voters go to the polls in November to choose between him and President Joe Biden.
Trump and his campaign have repeatedly railed about the scheduling, complaining that it is keeping the Republican candidate from visiting voters in key swing states.
On day two, Trump seemed to have settled into a routine that combined politics with his legal battle.
Trump entered the courtroom after expressing his thoughts about the judge and the court
Trump took a seat among his lawyers, seen here next to lead attorney Todd Blanche
It started with a series of posts on social media.
“This conflicted, Trump-hating judge won’t let me respond to people who lie and express hate all day on TV,” he wrote, railing against a silence order imposed by Judge Juan Merchan.
“He is insulting my lawyers and legal team. New York’s system of ‘justice’ is being decimated by critics from around the world.”
He then boarded his motorcade and left Trump Tower around 8:30 a.m. for the ride downtown.
A small group of reporters waited for him behind iron railings on the 15th floor of the Manhattan courthouse.
He did not give the impression that he was in enemy territory, as he brought the fight from downtown.
Trump’s day started with posts on his Truth Social media site. In one case he railed against the judge
Donald Trump appeared unfazed by a grueling second day of jury selection as he left Trump Tower Monday morning, pointing and waving at fans
Police used a truck to block the view of reporters as Trump’s motorcade arrived at Manhattan Criminal Court Tuesday morning for a second day of jury selection
And he had no idea that the gag order would get in his way.
“This is a process that should never have happened, a process that was watched around the world,” he said.
‘Every lawyer, every legal scholar has said that this trial is a disgrace. We have a judge who hates Trump. We have a judge who should not be hearing this case. He’s completely conflicted.’
Other suspects could choose to show deference to the court. That’s not Trump’s way. At least in the hallway.
Moments later he entered Judge Merchan’s court. As his tirade ended, he extended the kind of bonhomie he usually doles out to guests at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, greeting the court official like an old friend.
And given how many times Trump has been in court in New York during his career, that could very well be the case.