Donald Trump is heading to court on Monday as the first former US president to face criminal charges.
This is a significant moment for the United States, as Trump, who is the presumptive Republican nominee, is campaigning to win back the White House.
The 77-year-old is accused of falsifying business records to cover up an alleged encounter with adult film actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 election campaign. This scandal is just one of four criminal cases Trump is facing, with some legal experts considering it the least serious.
The possibility of Trump being convicted and potentially going to jail adds a new level of uncertainty to an already unpredictable election.
Trump, a right-wing populist, is focusing his campaign on seeking “vengeance” against Democratic President Joe Biden, who defeated him in 2020.
Trump has stated that he will testify in the case, which is set to begin at 1330 GMT. This is an unusual and risky decision for defendants to make.
At a rally in Pennsylvania, Trump compared his legal troubles to those of Al Capone, the infamous gangster, claiming he has been indicted more times.
“There is absolutely nothing here,” he insisted. “There is no misdemeanor, there is no felony, and there’s no federal crime.”
Before Trump testifies, the trial will begin on Monday with a lengthy and contentious process to select 12 jurors and alternates.
Judge Juan Merchan will gather a group of ordinary citizens who will answer a questionnaire, including questions about any past involvement in far-right groups.
The charges against Trump involve complex finance laws.
Trump is accused of illegally concealing payments to his lawyer Michael Cohen, who used the money to silence Stormy Daniels about an alleged encounter during the 2016 election.
In March 2023, a New York grand jury indicted Trump for the payments to Daniels, also known as Stephanie Clifford. The former president faces 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Trump denies the charges and may use the trial, which could last up to two months, to criticize what he claims is “lawfare” and election interference by his political opponents.
His campaign team characterised the trial as “a full-frontal assault on American Democracy”.
“These charges are entirely fabricated to interfere in the election,” said the Trump campaign team statement.
Trump is claiming that he will not receive a fair trial in heavily Democratic New York. Despite this, he is using the attention to boost his campaign by portraying himself as a victim and using supporter outrage to raise funds.
Even if he is found guilty, Trump can still appeal and would not be prevented from running for president or being elected on November 5.
Trump is facing three other criminal cases, including allegations of hoarding top-secret documents in Florida after leaving the White House and involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 election. These cases are experiencing multiple delays.
In the New York case, Trump has been unsuccessful in obtaining significant delays, and the judge, Merchan, is expected to run the trial firmly. Recently, the judge extended a gag order to prevent Trump from attacking trial participants, including family members of the judge and the lead prosecutor, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
This extension was prompted by Trump’s criticism of Merchan and his daughter on Truth Social.
“The American people and many voters do consider important whether a jury concludes that Trump is guilty of engaging in criminal misconduct,” said University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias.
“This finding might influence how they vote this November.”
In New York, Trump has been a well-known figure for many years, first as an entrepreneur, then as a celebrity, politician, and now as a criminal defendant. There is not much sympathy for him in the city.
“I don’t know if he’ll get a fair trial, but whatever happens, he caused it on himself,” said caregiver Alberto Vasquez, 45.
