Four days after the first criminal trial of a president, Donald Trump was showing signs of frustration.
He heard dozens of New Yorkers express less than favorable opinions of him, was restricted in what he could say in court, and was even told by the judge to sit down.
“Sir, please sit down,” said Juan Merchan, the soft-spoken judge presiding over Trump’s hush money trial, as the former president thought Friday’s proceedings were over and stood up to leave. .
When Trump returned to the defense table, Merchan thanked him.
Trump left the room minutes later looking tired and promising to testify in the trial, which he called a “witch hunt.”
His comments capped off a week filled with reversals of power and accusations turned upside down.
Trump, who prosecutors say used secret payments to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, is trying to present a parallel case in the court of public opinion.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee complained that “instead of being in Pennsylvania or Georgia or North Carolina or a lot of other places today, I’m sitting in a courtroom all day,” adding that the process “will continue for another four or five weeks.”
The trial is expected to last up to six weeks.
Trump, who is expected to appear in court during the trial, also accused the district attorney’s office of interfering in the 2024 presidential election on President Joe Biden’s behalf by “keeping me out of the campaign.”
He continued to argue that he was “not allowed to speak” after the judge said he should restrict his social media attacks against potential witnesses in the case, and later told supporters in a fundraising email that he was “not allowed to speak.” TOTALLY GAGGED.”
Much of Friday’s drama unfolded outside the courthouse, where a man set himself on fire in a park across from the courthouse. He was taken to a hospital after police put out the flames.
In the courtroom, Trump sat at the defense table as potential jurors answered questions designed to gauge their ability to be impartial.
One alternate juror was excused out of anxiety, which she believed would impair her ability to “be completely fair.” Another was asked about a social media post referencing the former president, saying: “I believe he is the devil.”
“I don’t remember posting that,” the man said, before being dismissed.
Trump has shown particular interest in the man, who volunteered for the campaign of his 2016 Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.
Social media posts advocated the dismissal of several other potential jurors, even after they said they could judge Trump fairly.
A retired New York high school teacher said he could “absolutely” be fair and impartial, but was forced to answer questions about excavated social media posts that revealed in 2017 that he had attended “a large anti-Trump rally.” , according to the caption of a photo he tagged himself in online.
He was dismissed.
By Friday afternoon, Merchan had empaneled a full jury of 12 and appointed six alternates. All 18 will meet for the first time on Monday morning, when opening statements are expected to begin.
Trump’s defense team appeared visibly haggard during the afternoon proceedings, with lawyer Susan Necheles leaning back in her chair, arms crossed, until she addressed the judge later in the day. The lead lawyer, Todd Blanche, was sitting next to Trump, and the two watched and occasionally whispered to each other.
After Merchan said he would not consider a motion on presidential immunity and other motions, Blanche insisted there was still more to discuss.
“This seems suspicious from the 10 minutes we spent discussing this on Monday… no new facts, no new application of the law,” Merchan responded.
“There is nothing left to argue,” he added as the first week of the trial came to an end. “We will have opening statements on Monday morning. This test is starting.”
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
