What happened?

  • Trump’s trial began with the start of jury selection on Monday in New York City. He has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges of falsifying business records. [newsweek.com, breitbart.com, oann.com]
  • Allegedly, Trump attempted to conceal payment of hush money to former adult-film actress Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, during his 2016 presidential campaign. [newsweek.com, breitbart.com, oann.com]
  • Trump is the first current or former president to stand trial on criminal charges. [newsweek.com]
  • Jurors serving in former President Donald Trump’s first criminal trial are at risk of being “outed” and put in harm’s way, according to former federal prosecutor Ankush Khardori. [newsweek.com]
  • Trump could face up to one month in jail if he’s ruled in contempt of court over alleged violations of a gag order imposed on him by New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan. [newsweek.com]
  • Trump legal spokeswoman Alina Habba claimed that if he is sent to jail for gag order violation, he would “be like Nelson Mandela.” [newsweek.com]

What is Conservative media saying?

  • According to legal expert Jonathan Turley, Trump’s trial is for allegedly falsifying business records related to payments to Stormy Daniels, but it’s a misdemeanor and the statute of limitations has expired. [foxnews.com]
  • Trump’s attorneys had potential jurors dismissed after finding social media posts calling for Trump to be jailed, and the judge acknowledged that such posts were not good and could not be allowed to remain in the trial. [breitbart.com]
  • Habba, stated it will be “impossible” for the former president to get a fair trial in New York City, which is heavily Democratic, and that seating an impartial jury will be an “impossible task”. [newsmax.com]
  • Despite various legal challenges, Trump has at least as good of a chance of returning to the White House as he does of becoming a convicted felon, and his numbers are better than they have been since he first began running for president nearly nine years ago. [theamericanconservative.com]

What is Liberal media saying?

  • Trump claims the trials are a “Biden inspired witch-hunt” led by “heartless thugs” and a “very conflicted judge”. [independent.co.uk, cnn.com, nytimes.com]
  • Alvin Bragg, the New York District Attorney, is now leading the prosecution and the trial’s surprisingly snappy pace has confounded initial expectations, with the judge, defense lawyers, and prosecutors hinting at the gravity of what will unfold in the coming weeks. [independent.co.uk, cnn.com]
  • Trump is prevented by a gag order from attacking witnesses, prosecutors, and jurors in his New York case, but the order does not cover Bragg or the judge, allowing him to continue his rhetoric outside the courtroom. [nytimes.com]

Media sources:

  • The New York Times (nytimes.com)
  • Fox News (foxnews.com)
  • CNN (cnn.com)
  • Breitbart (breitbart.com)
  • Newsweek (newsweek.com)
  • One America News Network (oann.com)
  • Newsmax (newsmax.com)
  • The American Conservative (theamericanconservative.com)
  • The Independent (independent.co.uk)