Fact check: Trump's misleading statements during his trial

Former President Donald Trump made several false claims to the media this week as he arrived at and left the Manhattan courtroom where he is facing trial for allegedly falsifying business records in connection to a hush money scheme during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Now, let's fact-check four of the claims he made regarding the trial. (For this article, we will not address the false statements he made in court about other topics.)

Courthouse security

Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with the small crowd he encountered at the courthouse for opening statements. He mentioned to reporters inside the courthouse that the area surrounding the courthouse was heavily congested, making it difficult for people to get near the building.

On Tuesday, Trump took to social media to claim that thousands of people were being turned away from the Courthouse in Lower Manhattan by steel stanchions and police, far from where he enters and leaves through a tiny side door. He described the area as an "armed camp" to keep people away. Then, on Thursday, he mentioned that the courthouse is on lockdown, with not a person within five blocks.

In reality, Trump's claims are completely false. The police have not turned away thousands of people from the courthouse. While there are some security measures in place, such as street closures and barricades, it is not true that the courthouse is completely locked down or that people are unable to get near it. In fact, there is a designated protest zone for the trial at a park directly across from the courthouse. People are allowed to drive up to the front of the courthouse and walk in, as it remains open to the public. Additionally, those who arrive early in the morning can even enter the trial courtroom or the overflow room that shows near-live video of the proceedings.

Few of Trump's supporters have actually shown up at the protest zone. During the trial in mid-April, there were less than 100 visible Trump supporters present. According to CNN journalists reporting from the courthouse area, on most days there have been three or fewer supporters. If you're interested, you can find more information here.

Michael Cohen’s crimes and Trump

On Monday, Trump said upon leaving the courtroom that the crimes committed by his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen “had nothing to do with me.”

Cohen is expected to be a key witness for the prosecution. Trump claimed that the issues Cohen faced were unrelated to him. He mentioned that Cohen's legal troubles were linked to his ownership of a taxicab company, medallions, borrowing money, and other matters, but insisted they were not connected to him.

However, the facts reveal a different story. Trump's statement that Cohen's jail time had nothing to do with him is inaccurate. Cohen was sentenced to three years in 2018 for various crimes, some directly involving Trump. Specifically, Cohen was convicted of campaign finance violations related to a hush money scheme during the 2016 presidential campaign aimed at concealing Trump's alleged extramarital affairs. Additionally, Cohen received a two-month prison term for lying to Congress in 2017 about discussions regarding a potential Trump Tower in Moscow, including Trump's level of involvement and the timeline of the negotiations. These discussions actually extended into June 2016, after Trump became the presumptive Republican nominee, contrary to Cohen's initial claims that they ended in January 2016.

Cohen, also known as "Individual-1," admitted to making false statements to the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in 2018. He stated that he did so to align with the political messaging of "Individual-1" and out of loyalty to him.

In 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations, acknowledging that he violated the law in coordination with and at the direction of a candidate for federal office, who was Trump.

The gag order on Trump.

After leaving the courtroom on Tuesday, Trump walked up to the cameras and started speaking. He expressed his frustration, saying that he felt restricted and unable to communicate.

Trump was specifically referring to Judge Juan Merchan's gag order that was imposed on him. Earlier that day, Merchan had conducted a hearing to address the prosecutors' claims that Trump had breached the gag order by sharing various online posts, such as articles related to the case, on social media.

Trump said he couldn't even put articles in, claiming they call the case a sham. He questioned if he was allowed to include them. He felt unfair that others could lie about him but he couldn't defend himself.

Trump expressed his desire to speak openly but felt restricted by a gag order.

Let's get the facts straight: Trump has exaggerated the extent of Merchan's gag order. The gag order doesn't stop Trump from calling the case a sham or repeating others' claims about it. He can still talk to the media, defend his actions, criticize the judge and district attorney, and campaign for the presidency through speeches, interviews, and online posts.

However, there are three types of speech that Trump is not allowed to make under the gag order:

1. It is important not to talk publicly or tell others to talk publicly about witnesses in the case.

2. Avoid speaking publicly or telling others to speak publicly about prosecutors, court staff, or family members involved in the case if the intention is to disrupt the legal proceedings.

In his comments on Tuesday, Trump mentioned that sometimes an article may have a headline that criticizes the case but also includes a person's name that is restricted due to the gag order.

It is unclear how Merchan would react if Trump shared an article where a witness's name was only mentioned deep in the text. So far, the articles that prosecutors claim Trump shared in violation of the gag order had headlines that clearly indicated they discussed witness Cohen.

Regarding Biden and the case, there is no further information provided in the original content fragment.

Trump claimed that the trial is all about Biden as he left the courtroom on Tuesday, stating, "You know, this is all Biden, just in case anybody has any question." He further mentioned, "He’s the one that has us in all these different lawsuits.” Upon leaving on Friday, Trump reiterated, “This is all a Biden indictment.”

However, it is important to note that there is no evidence to support Trump’s claims. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is responsible for the prosecution, is a locally elected official and does not report to the federal government. The indictment in the case was approved by a grand jury of ordinary citizens.

Trump has often mentioned Matthew Colangelo, a lawyer on Bragg's team, in his claims. Colangelo joined the district attorney's office as senior counsel to Bragg after leaving the Justice Department in 2022. However, there is no proof that Biden played a role in Colangelo's decision to change jobs. Colangelo and Bragg were already colleagues before Bragg became Manhattan district attorney in 2021.

Before his time at the Justice Department, Colangelo and Bragg both worked at the office of New York's state attorney general. During this time, Colangelo investigated Trump's charity and financial practices, and was also part of bringing several lawsuits against the Trump administration.

Editor's P/S:

The article meticulously fact-checks four of the false claims made by former President Trump regarding his ongoing trial. Trump's assertions about courthouse security, his former lawyer Michael Cohen's crimes, the gag order imposed on him, and the trial's alleged connection to President Biden are all debunked. The evidence presented reveals a pattern of distortion and exaggeration by Trump, highlighting the importance of critical thinking and fact-checking in the face of unsubstantiated claims.

The article not only exposes Trump's false statements but also provides a broader context. It explains that Cohen's crimes, including campaign finance violations, were directly related to Trump, contradicting Trump's assertion that they were unrelated. It also clarifies that the gag order does not prevent Trump from defending himself or criticizing the proceedings, but rather prohibits him from discussing witnesses or attempting to influence the trial's outcome through public statements. Additionally, the article emphasizes that there is no evidence to support Trump's claims that the trial is politically motivated or orchestrated by President Biden.