Trump strains on New York courtroom leash

New York: Donald Trump (pic) could not have made his feelings clearer: he would rather be anywhere else than in a New York courtroom, on trial for business fraud.

Dressed in a blue suit with a blue tie, former US president shifted between discomfort and anger, as he sat on Tuesday through the second day of the historic proceeding, the first criminal trial of a US president.

“This is a trial that should have never been brought,” Trump told reporters outside the courtroom, as he lashed out against President Joe Biden, his Democratic rival in the November presidential election, and what he called the “Trump-hating judge” in the case.

“Every legal pundit and every legal scholar said this trial is a disgrace,” he added.

Trump is accused of falsifying business records in a scheme to cover up reports on the eve of his 2016 election victory that he had an extramarital affair with a porn star.

Now, with the 2024 presidential campaign heating up, “I should be right now in Pennsylvania, in Florida, in many other states – North Carolina, Georgia – campaigning,” he said.

After a brief exchange with his lawyers on Tuesday, Trump took a seat at the defense table and only seemed to lighten up when photographers were brought in to take photos of him before the trial.

The day was devoted to jury selection, with prosecutors and lawyers quizzing potential jurors in a bid to find 12 New Yorkers deemed impartial enough to decide the fate of the scandal-hit billionaire.

Trump, who is under a partial gag order restricting him from attacking individuals connected to the case, sat in silence and kept his gaze on the jury box.

The potential jurors had to answer a long list of questions in order to determine whether they would be able to fairly judge the controversial defendant.