Trump's historic hush money trial begins

NEW YORK — Former US president Donald Trump on Monday appeared in a criminal court in Manhattan, New York City, in the hush money case, making him the first former US president to stand trial on criminal charges.

Trump arrived at the court in Lower Manhattan around 9 am with a heavy presence of security guards, press representatives as well as activists from different political camps.

Trump descended from his motorcade and talked to the press briefly before entering the courtroom.

"The trial is a political persecution… It's an assault on America… it's a country that's failing," said Trump.

The case should never have been brought, said Trump, who also complained about the gag order imposed on him.

Trump's lawyers made at least three attempts in the previous week in order to delay the trial but the requests were denied by judges.

Trump is accused of 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, made to adult film actress Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, to cover up an alleged affair ahead of the 2016 election. Trump has pleaded not guilty.

The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks as jury selection kicked off on Monday, according to a release by the New York State Unified Court System.

The day ended without any jurors being chosen. The selection process was scheduled to resume on Tuesday.

Carrying flags and banners, a number of Trump supporters and critics went to Collect Pond Park in front of the court building, and they even traded barbs.

"Our legal system is corrupt, and I'm here to stand with Trump because he's much more honorable than our court system," said Steve Merczynski, a New Yorker, who supports Trump by marketing themed hammocks and hammock chairs.

Merczynski said the US judicial system is partisan and the problem makes people don't trust the system, noting he expected Trump to be found guilty as the vast majority of the jury in New York City are Democrats.

"The justice system is on trial … I think if Trump is found guilty, it shows we don't have a fair system here, because this case should not have been brought. If he's found not guilty, or if there's a hung jury, I have faith in the system that at least some people know of the baloney that this case is a mistake," he said.

A group of protesters marched by the court building in the morning and carried a big banner that read "No one is above the law".

Trump, the Republican Party's presumptive presidential nominee in the 2024 United States general election, is facing four criminal indictments, and a conviction in one criminal trial would dampen his presidential campaign, analysts say.

Ai Heping in New York contributed to this story.

Xinhua - Agencies