Trump’s Jury Selection Goes Sideways

We’ve never seen a former American president be put through something like this.

Former President Donald Trump expressed dissatisfaction with the ongoing jury selection process in his Manhattan criminal trial, voicing his concerns on Truth Social. Trump lamented the limited number of strikes available for jury selection, criticizing the venue choice and decrying what he perceives as election interference.

The trial, stemming from allegations of hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016, was initiated by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in April 2023. Bragg’s indictment accuses Trump of fraudulent manipulation of New York business records to conceal actions detrimental to the 2016 presidential election’s integrity.

Maintaining his innocence, Trump faces charges while under a gag order for prior criticisms of the presiding judge’s family. The jury selection process began with the dismissal of numerous potential jurors to ensure impartiality. Candidates underwent scrutiny based on a comprehensive questionnaire and were subject to examination by both legal teams.

During the proceedings, Trump’s attorney raised concerns about a potential juror’s social media activity, highlighting celebratory posts regarding Trump’s electoral defeat. Despite the judge’s initial inclination to retain the juror, Trump’s legal team exercised a preemptory strike to remove her.

Amidst the selection process, Trump exhibited a positive reaction to a potential juror’s familiarity with his literary works. The trial, which briefly adjourned, is slated to resume with ongoing jury selection proceedings expected to span several weeks.