Insights from Day One of the Trump Hush Money Trial

The first criminal trial of former President Donald Trump has begun. The trial started on Monday, marking the first time a former US president is facing criminal charges. It is a stark reminder that the potential Republican nominee for president will be spending four days a week in a Manhattan courtroom as a defendant.

Trump, who denies the 34 felony charges of falsifying business records, was present with his three lawyers as jury selection started. He observed their discussions with prosecutors about the evidence and exchanged notes with them during the proceedings.

Video Ad Feedback

Kaitlan Collins on Trump's remarks: He did say one thing that is accurate

01:47

• Source:

Selecting a panel of 12 jurors to determine Trump's outcome will be challenging, with over 50 individuals excused right away for not being able to remain unbiased. The selection process will carry on into Tuesday, where potential jurors will be questioned to gauge their political leanings, making it a thorough procedure that may extend beyond the trial's initial week.

Trump didn't say much in court on Monday, but his controversial language was brought up again. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office asked Judge Juan Merchan to penalize Trump for breaking the judge's order to not speak publicly.

Here are the main points from the first day of "The People of the State of New York vs Donald Trump."

Get up to speed on Trump's criminal trial

A timeline of the Donald Trump-Stormy Daniels hush money case

Your questions about Trump’s trial, answered

Fact check: Trump’s false and unsubstantiated claims about his Manhattan criminal case

What questions do you have about Trump’s hush money trial? Ask us here

More than half of first batch of prospective jurors say they can’t be fair and impartial

Merchan selected 96 New Yorkers to potentially serve as jurors. However, over half of them were excused because they felt they couldn't be unbiased.

The challenge of selecting a jury is highlighted by the quick dismissal of many potential jurors, especially when the defendant is a former president who stirs up strong emotions from people on both sides.

Trump has expressed concern about not being able to receive a fair trial in Manhattan due to the jurors living there. Despite this, most of the jurors who remained said they could be impartial in this case.

However, as the judge started asking jurors 40 questions about their backgrounds, media habits, and opinions about Trump, another potential juror was eliminated.

The woman confirmed she had strong opinions about former President Donald Trump and his candidacy, which could affect her ability to be an impartial juror.

Merchan paused the questioning and inquired if the lawyers had any objections to excusing her. Following a short sidebar discussion, she was thanked for her service and released from jury duty.

The juror admitted, "I just couldn't do it," as they were overheard in the hallway outside the courtroom.

Out of the nine other potential jurors interviewed, none mentioned reading books by Trump or Michael Cohen. Additionally, none of them disclosed any past work or volunteer experience with Trump.

Defense wants to slow things down

After months of appeals to delay the start of the trial, the defense is now looking to slow down the legal proceedings as the November elections near.

Sources informed CNN's Paula Reid that the trial is expected to have numerous objections and sidebars due to the defense's strong emphasis on preserving all issues for potential appeals.

For example, the jury selection process was initially estimated to take a week. However, on Monday, Trump's attorney Todd Blanche requested additional time to question potential jurors. Blanche specifically asked for 30 minutes for the first round of questions and 20 minutes for subsequent rounds, which is double the usual time allotted. Both the judge and the District Attorney's office approved this request.

Blanche also raised concerns about the current system that requires a pre-motion letter 48 hours before filing motions. This rule was implemented because the court was overwhelmed with motions, some of which were deemed frivolous by Merchan.

These tactics are part of the broader legal strategy employed by the Trump team, which involved multiple appeals to postpone the trial's commencement. Their efforts were successful based on different reasons. The defense team is now aiming to prolong the legal proceedings, which are anticipated to last six to eight weeks, as the 2024 election draws near.

The DA's office is accusing Trump of breaking a gag order and is requesting a fine of $3,000. Prosecutors are claiming that Trump violated the order by discussing witnesses, the DA's office, or court staff.

Chris Conroy is requesting to hold Trump in contempt for breaking the gag order. He is also asking for Trump to be fined $1,000 for each of the three social media posts that supposedly violate the order.

Conroy believes it is crucial for the court to remind Trump that he is a criminal defendant. He emphasizes that, like all criminal defendants, Trump is under the supervision of the court.

One of Trump's posts on Truth Social referred to Michael Cohen as his "SleazeBag former attorney," while another post featured Stormy Daniels' 2018 letter denying an affair with Trump, which she has since retracted.

In a third post, Trump re-shared a message from Michael Avenatti, former attorney for Daniels, criticizing Cohen and Daniels for profiting from "bogus documentaries" and TV interviews.

Trump also took to Twitter on Monday morning to share a New York Post article. The article quoted, "A serial perjurer is attempting to bring up an old misdemeanor against Trump, causing embarrassment for the New York legal system."

Merchan has scheduled a hearing on the district attorney's motion for next Tuesday.

Trump has faced criticism for his social media posts before. He was fined twice for breaking a gag order set by New York Judge Arthur Engoron during his civil fraud trial.

The "Access Hollywood" tape cannot be played, but an actress can provide testimony.

Merchan made some important rulings that could affect how the case is presented, benefiting both parties.

The judge decided not to step down from the case and supported prosecutors by allowing Karen McDougal, an actress and model who claimed to have had an affair with Trump, to testify. Additionally, prosecutors can present National Enquirer articles criticizing Trump's rivals as evidence.

American Media Inc. agreed to pay McDougal $150,000 five months before the 2016 election to keep her quiet about allegations of an affair with Trump, as confirmed by prosecutors. Trump has denied the affair. This payment is not part of the charges against Trump, but prosecutors believe it will help show a pattern of hush money payments.

On the other hand, a significant win for Trump was when the court ruled that the "Access Hollywood" tape cannot be used as evidence, as it was deemed prejudicial. Prosecutors are also prohibited from bringing up other sexual assault claims against Trump that emerged after the tape was released in October 2016.

Merchan mentioned that the rumors are unfounded and prejudicial based on current information.

He also refused the prosecutors' demand to present E. Jean Carroll's deposition in her lawsuit against Trump, stating that it would be like having a trial within a trial.

Editor's P/S:

The first criminal trial