NEW YORK — Former President Donald Trump entered a drab Manhattan courtroom Monday for the start of a historic criminal trial that will keep him off the campaign trail and could impact his standing with undecided voters ahead of his rematch with President Biden in November.
A jury of seven men and five women, plus six alternates, will hear opening arguments from New York prosecutors and Mr. Trump’s lawyers before the state calls its first witness in the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president.
“It is a very, very sad day in America. I can tell you that,” Mr. Trump said on his way into the courtroom.
Mr. Trump, dressed in a navy suit, took his seat and chatted with his attorneys at the defense table in the courtroom with wood panels along the lower half of the walls and florescent lighting overhead. A throng of Secret Service agents accompanied him and mixed with court officers around the courtroom.
The court will break in the early afternoon in observance of Passover and to accommodate a juror who has an appointment. Another juror reported concerns about the media attention around the case, though decided to stay on the trial after a meeting in chambers.
Mr. Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records in the case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Prosecutors allege Mr. Trump funneled payments to his lawyer, Michael Cohen, throughout 2017 to conceal hush money that had been paid to porn star Stormy Daniels and two others to avoid bad press before the 2016 election.
Ms. Daniels says she had a sexual encounter with Mr. Trump nearly two decades ago, a claim he denies.
Mr. Trump pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges and says Democratic prosecutors are trying to stop his presidential campaign.
Polls show Mr. Trump locked in a tight race with Mr. Biden ahead of their rematch in November.
Even if convicted of felony counts, Mr. Trump is unlikely to face prison time given his lack of criminal history and the nature of the charges. The facts in the case are eight years old and have been litigated in the court of public opinion during that time.
Still, a felony conviction could dent Mr. Trump’s ability to increase support beyond his ardent base, and the salacious nature of the trial allegations could be damaging.
State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan made technical rulings before the trial began. If Mr. Trump takes the stand, he said, the court will allow prosecutors to raise certain evidence from Mr. Trump’s prior civil trials and violations of court orders regarding his social media activity.
Jurors filtered in afterward. Many of them were expressionless as they listened intently to the judge’s instructions about opening statements and how evidence is admitted and presented.
Judge Merchan also described how the state bears the burden of proving its case and that Mr. Trump is not required to testify.
“The defendant is presumed to be innocent,” the judge said.
Mr. Trump, wearing a blue necktie, sat quietly and toggled between looking at the judge and the jury. There are four TV monitors in the courtroom.
Writing on Truth Social, Mr. Trump said he is being punished for legal expenses he documented over seven years ago. He is also watching to see whether the Supreme Court affirms the idea that Mr. Trump enjoys presidential immunity from criminal prosecution for acts he committed while in office from 2017 to 2021.
Mr. Trump is trapped in the courtroom while the trial unfolds, though proceedings are not being held on Wednesdays.
The trial should last about six weeks.
A group of anti-Trump protesters gathered near the courthouse Monday with signs saying, “Morally bankrupt” and “No one is above the law.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.