With a jury now selected and with opening statements looming on Monday in his historic criminal trial, Donald Trump took to Truth Social this weekend to not just complain about the case, but also return to the topic of presidential immunity.
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments regarding Mr Trump’s claims of immunity on 25 April. The former president argues that without it, the nation’s commander-in-chief would not be able to function for fear of prosecution.
Meanwhile, in New York, the man who set himself on fire outside the Manhattan courthouse where Mr Trump’s trial is taking place has died.
Maxwell Azzarello, 37, from Florida, who posted a conspiracy-laden manifesto online moments before the incident, was “declared deceased by hospital staff”, police told NBC News.
After four days of jury selection, the final alternate jurors were picked from a batch of Manhattan residents on Friday.
The 12 jurors and six alternates will hear evidence against the former president and ultimately decide his fate in his so-called hush money trial.
On Monday, Judge Juan Merchan will decide whether Mr Trump’s previous misconduct and court cases can be included in proceedings.
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New York Post roasts ‘Moscow Marjorie’ over opposition to Ukraine aid bill
The New York Post has roasted Marjorie Taylor Greene over her opposition to aid for Ukraine to help defend itself against Russia. Using a quote from former Republican Rep Ken Buck, the News Corp-owned tabloid — famous for its front pages — refers to the Georgia Republican rep as “Moscow Marjorie”.
Here’s Mr Buck on CNN on Friday explaining that Ms Greene is “just mouthing the Russian propaganda”:
The Georgia lawmaker has fought vociferously against aiding the US ally in its fight against Vladimir Putin’s war — now in its second year.
On Saturday she was furious after the House of Representatives passed the $60bn aid package for Ukraine, which heads to the Senate on Tuesday.
Oliver O’Connell21 April 2024 15:25
Watch: Noem says she will support Trump even if convicted
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem — currently auditioning to be Donald Trump’s running mate — tells CNN’s Dana Bash that she would still support the former president even if he was criminally convicted.
Oliver O’Connell21 April 2024 14:50
Prosecutors want to ‘distract’ from hush money trial with other cases, Trump lawyers claim
Attorneys for Donald Trump told a judge overseeing the former president’s hush money trial on Friday that Manhattan prosecutors are merely trying to “distract” jurors and “pile things on” by introducing evidence from his string of other criminal and civil cases.
New York Justice Juan Merchan presided over a hearing to outline what prosecutors intend to ask Mr Trump if he chooses to testify at his criminal trial, including a defamation case and allegations of sexual abuse, a massive civil fraud judgment finding him liable for tens of millions of dollars, felony convictions targeting his business, and the dissolution of a namesake foundation used to boost his presidential campaign.
But the judge said that prosecutors’ request falls within the grounds of the so-called Sandoval hearing, during which a defendant with a history of misconduct or criminal acts who also plans to testify in his defence knows what they could be walking into.
Oliver O’Connell21 April 2024 14:30
Trump forced to cancel first public address in North Carolina since New York trial
Donald Trump was forced to cancel his scheduled rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, as skies darkened and a rain storm approached the airport.
It was his first planned rally since the start of his criminal hush money trial.
Mr Trump called into the rally site near the Wilmington airport less than an hour before he was scheduled to take the stage and apologised to a few thousand supporters who had gathered throughout.
“I’m devastated that this could happen but we want to keep everybody safe,” MrTrump said, as his message was amplified by speakers to his supporters.
“I think we’re gonna have to just do a rain check. I’m so sad,” Mr Trump said.
Mr Trump promised a “bigger and better” rally to around 7,000 and 8,000 people who had gathered at the Aero Center at Wilmington airport.
Oliver O’Connell21 April 2024 14:12
Analysis: Ukraine aid finally passes the Republican House but may cost the GOP speaker his job
John Bowden in Washington, DC reporting for The Independent writes:
Lawmakers in Washington DC have finally passed military aid for Ukraine through the GOP-controlled House following months of delays.
The $60.8bn package, part of a three-part national security supplemental that passed the Senate in February, now heads back to the upper chamber for a final vote on Tuesday.
It then heads to Joe Biden’s desk for signature. Republicans and Democrats in the upper chamber pressed their House colleagues to pass the legislation for months, citing Ukraine’s increasingly desperate situation, but the lower chamber took its time and quibbled over the bill’s intricacies, eventually splitting it into three parts and turning much of the aid to Ukraine into a loan system.
Even with that change it was a political defeat for Republicans in the House, who took public criticism from GOP members of the Senate including Mitch McConnell for weeks and eventually passed the legislation while relying on Democratic support to see it past the finish line.
Worse, Speaker Mike Johnson comes out of this ordeal at the lowest point of his speakership (so far).
Oliver O’Connell21 April 2024 14:00
Analysis: Outside court, Trump tries to command the narrative. Inside, he can only sit in silence
The city of New York is “crime-ridden and dying,” according to Donald Trump. He has called a criminal case against him a “mess,” the judge hopelessly “conflicted,” and the prosecutor a “thug.” The former president’s attorneys claim that the entire borough of Manhattan is “overwhelmingly biased” against him.
Oliver O’Connell21 April 2024 13:30
How Trump’s trial dates and the 2024 election overlap
In a typical presidential election year, candidates will spend the 11 months leading up to election day shaking hands and kissing babies at rallies as the primaries unfold.
Instead, the ex-president will be forced to juggle his campaign for the White House while also defending himself in federal and state courts in four different cases that have hearings and trial dates scattered throughout 2024.
Ariana Baio takes a look at his hectic schedule:
Oliver O’Connell21 April 2024 12:00
No, Trump didn’t storm out of court
Donald Trump’s campaign appears to once again be falsely characterising the former president’s exit from his New York criminal trial, claiming that he “stormed” out of the courtroom on Friday.
Oliver O’Connell21 April 2024 10:30
Max Azzarello posted conspiracies online. He died after setting himself on fire outside Trump’s trial
Mike Bedigan and Kelly Rissman report:
Max Azzarello, 37, who died after setting himself on fire outside the Manhattan courthouse, had recently started posting anti-establishment conspiracy theories online, including a lengthy article on Substack which blasted politicians, and billionaires and even made reference to The Simpsons.
The manifesto-style document warned of an impending “apocalyptic fascist world coup.”
Oliver O’Connell21 April 2024 09:00
Prospective juror excused after raising comparisons between Trump and Berlusconi
Mike Bedigan and Alex Woodward report:
Oliver O’Connell21 April 2024 07:30