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In a scene that might remind some of a dull lecture from their school days, former President Donald Trump appeared to have fallen asleep during the initial stages of his hush money trial in New York, according to New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman. The trial, which began with jury selection today, is expected to attract global attention as it unfolds over the coming weeks.
The trial’s jury selection process is projected to be lengthy, potentially extending over two weeks due to a large pool of prospective jurors. This phase is critical as it sets the stage for the substantive arguments and testimonies that will follow.
The charges against Trump have been brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and involve a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen to adult film actor Stormy Daniels. This payment was allegedly made to prevent Daniels from going public about an affair with Trump during the 2016 election campaign.
According to records, Trump compensated Cohen in installments, misleadingly marked as legal fees. The former president is also seeking an unconventional legal strategy by requesting to participate personally in sidebar conversations, a move rarely seen from defendants in criminal trials.
Haberman, who first reported the incident while live blogging for the New York Times, described the moment of apparent fatigue from the former president: “Trump appears to be sleeping. His head keeps dropping down and his mouth goes slack,” she detailed in an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper.
During her CNN interview, Haberman contrasted Trump’s behavior with other instances where he has seemed more engaged. “There have been other moments in other trials, like the E.G. Carroll trial in January, where he appeared very still and seemed as if he might be sleeping, but then he would move,” she explained.
WATCH:
NEW: New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman tells CNN that Donald Trump fell asleep during the hush money trial in New York.
Habberman first made the announcement while “live blogging” for the NYT.
“Trump appears to be sleeping. His head keeps dropping down and his mouth… pic.twitter.com/IPQQS953Uu
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 15, 2024
Haberman wrote in the New York Times:
Even as a judge was hearing arguments on last-minute issues in a criminal case that centers on salacious allegations and threatens to upend his bid for the presidency, Mr. Trump appeared to nod off a few times, his mouth going slack and his head drooping onto his chest.
The former president’s lead lawyer, Todd Blanche, passed him notes for several minutes before Mr. Trump appeared to jolt awake and notice them.
At other times, Mr. Trump whispered and exchanged notes with Mr. Blanche. He sat motionless while his own words from the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape — on which bragged about grabbing women’s genitals — were read from a transcript by a prosecutor.
At times, Mr. Trump’s emotions were characteristically on display. He smirked and scoffed, and appeared frustrated when the judge in the case, Juan M. Merchan, did not immediately agree that he could miss court to attend the graduation of his youngest son, Barron.
On Monday Judge Merchan warned Trump that he could be thrown out of the courtroom or even jailed if he caused any disruptions. Trump seemed to understand the warning. The only time he lightened up was when he chuckled over a social media post of his that mocked Michael Cohen, his former fixer and the prosecution’s key witness.