The highly anticipated trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump has officially begun in New York City, where he faces charges of falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal during his time in office. This marks the first criminal trial of a former president in U.S. history, and is just the beginning of a series of legal battles Trump will face in the coming months.
Jury selection kicked off yesterday, with the initial pool of prospective jurors quickly dwindling as more than half were dismissed for indicating bias. As Trump’s lawyers and prosecutors navigated pretrial motions, the former president appeared both irritated and exhausted, alternating between smirking and nodding off in the courtroom.
Despite a gag order imposed on Trump last month, barring him from attacking witnesses, he recently took to social media to criticize a key witness in the case, his former fixer Michael Cohen. The judge has scheduled a hearing to address potential violations of the gag order, which also prohibits Trump from targeting the judge’s family.
The trial is expected to last several weeks, with jury selection alone potentially taking up to two weeks. The case may extend into June, as the legal battle unfolds.
In other news, world leaders are urging Israel to show restraint in response to Iran’s recent missile and drone attack, while Sudan marks one year of devastating war between military factions. Additionally, acclaimed author Salman Rushdie releases a new memoir today, detailing a harrowing attack that left him blind in one eye and the unwavering support of his wife through his recovery.
Stay tuned for more updates on these developing stories and more.
