Trump urges Judge Merchan to ‘save his reputation’ by dismissing trial
Judge Juan Merchan can “save his reputation” if he dismisses the NY v. Trump case, former President Donald Trump said Wednesday in remarks outside the Manhattan courtroom. “The confusion is nobody knows what the crime is because there’s no crime. Nobody knows what the crime is. The D.A. didn’t name the crime of the moment. They don’t know what the crime is. That’s what the problem is. It’s a disgrace. This thing ought to be ended immediately. The judge ought to end it and save his reputation,” Trump said Wednesday evening. Trump’s comments came after jury deliberations began Wednesday. Since those deliberations began, the jury has sent Merchan two notes, including asking to rehear his instructions. In New York criminal cases, juries are not allowed to receive copies of jury instructions or witness transcripts. TRUMP SAYS JUDGE MERCHAN HAS WAY TO GAIN BACK ‘RESPECT’ DESPITE PRESIDING OVER ‘WITCH HUNT’ TRIAL Trump is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors worked to prove that Trump falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to former porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election to quiet her claims of an alleged affair with Trump in 2006. “The judge, who, as you know, is very conflicted and corrupt. Because of the confliction, very, very corrupt. Mother Teresa could not beat these charges. These charges are rigged. The whole thing is rigged,” Trump said late Wednesday morning as jury deliberations kicked off. COHEN’S BOMBSHELL ADMISSION COULD LEAD TO HUNG JURY, IF NOT ACQUITTAL: EXPERT “The whole country is a mess, between the borders and fake elections, and you have a trial like this where the judge is so conflicted, he can’t breathe. He’s got to do his job. … it’s a disgrace. And I mean that, Mother Teresa could not beat those charges. But we’ll see. We’ll see how we do.” NY V TRUMP: MICHAEL COHEN ADMITS TO STEALING TENS OF THOUSANDS FROM FORMER PRESIDENT’S BUSINESS Trump has repeatedly called on Merchan to recuse himself as well as dismiss the case, including last week when he said Merchan could “gain back respect” if he dismissed the case. NY V. TRUMP: MICHAEL COHEN TESTIFIES HE’S CONSIDERING CONGRESSIONAL RUN “This case should be dropped by the judge. I think the judge, if he did, that… could gain the respect back. The appellate court has to step in, something has to happen. Think of it, the Republican Party, one of the two great parties, nominates somebody to be their candidate. And that candidate now has been sitting here for almost five weeks in a freezing cold icebox listening to this stuff,” Trump said May 20. Court will continue on Thursday at 9:30 a.m., when Merchan will again address jury instructions, followed by the jury resuming deliberations.
Trump son-in-law Michael Boulos meets with dozens of Arab leaders in an effort to curry favor
Around 40 Arab-American leaders in the key swing state of Michigan came together with two top Trumpworld figures as the presumptive Republican nominee and President Biden both seek its delegate prize in November. The Trump campaign told Fox News Digital the meet-up — which featured Michael Boulos and former Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell — was not organized by the campaign. Boulos, son of Lebanese billionaire Massad Boulos, is married to Tiffany Trump. The elder Boulos was also in attendance, according to published reports. The meeting took place at an Italian restaurant in the Detroit suburb of Troy, according to the Detroit Free Press, which counted Syrian-American physician Dr. Yahya Basha among its attendees. Basha voted for Biden, donated to his 2020 bid and kept a photo of him in his office, but last week he helped organize Boulos and Grenell’s dinner instead, according to the paper, which quoted him as calling the meeting “positive” and a “first step in the right direction.” Another attendee said Trump’s “Abraham Accords” Mideast peace deal was a noted topic of conversation and well-received by the group. DEARBORN ‘UNCOMMITTEDS’ PLAN TO MAKE ‘EXAMPLE’ OF BIDEN, TURN PARTY AGAINST JEWISH STATE When asked about the meeting, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign said that although it was not an official event, they will continue to communicate to Arab-American voters about Trump’s successes in the Middle East and policies that “brought that region historic levels of peace and stability.” “We understand supporters of President Trump had a meeting in Michigan. While the meeting was not requested on behalf of the campaign, we share the belief that Biden’s failed Middle East policies have brought death, chaos and war to the region,” Brian Hughes, the campaign representative, told Fox News Digital. “That failure led tens of thousands of Democrats to vote ‘uncommitted’ in Michigan’s recent primary.” Reports of another meeting on May 17 between Arab American groups and Secretary of State Antony Blinken at Foggy Bottom “wasn’t positive,” according to the Detroit paper. In a statement about the meeting obtained by New York City broadcaster NY1, Biden campaign rapid response director Ammar Moussa called Trump the biggest threat to the Muslim and Arab community.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Moussa told the outlet Biden, by contrast, is “working tirelessly towards a just and lasting peace.” Biden’s conundrum in Michigan was described earlier this year by Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich., to Politico as “an impossible situation,” as the president tries to balance seeking support from moderate and union Democrats while not alienating progressives and the state’s large Muslim and Arab populations. His headwinds from flipping the state back to the Democrats’ column in 2020 have been buffeted as of late by the more than 100,000 Democratic voters who voted “uncommitted” in the party’s February primary. The president has been criticized by the state’s sizable Muslim population over his handling of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, as prominent Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib — who is of Palestinian descent — branded him an “enabler of genocide” over the matter. Fox News Digital reached out to the Biden campaign for official comment for purposes of this story. Trump, meanwhile, seeks to win back the support of the Great Lakes state, a feat he accomplished in 2016 when he became the first Republican since George H.W. Bush to do so.
Rafah offensive by Israel didn’t cross Biden’s ‘red line,’ White House says
White House officials told reporters that Israel’s airstrike on Rafah on Sunday that killed two senior Hamas terrorist leaders and dozens of civilians does not violate President Biden’s “red line,” mainly because the strike did not represent a major ground operation. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby addressed reporters during a White House press briefing on Tuesday afternoon, during which time he was asked a barrage of questions about the attack on the southern Gazan city of Rafah, and when the U.S. will change its stance on Israel’s attacks. Israel conducted an airstrike on a Hamas compound in Rafah on Sunday, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed. One reporter asked Kirby about the attack, which struck an encampment in a densely populated area. ISRAELI TANKS ROLL INTO CENTRAL RAFAH FOR FIRST TIME IN GAZA WAR Kirby told the reporter the whole area of Rafah is densely populated and that a million people had evacuated the area. The reporter asked how the strike did not violate a “red line” laid out by the president. “We don’t want to see a major ground operation,” Kirby said. “We haven’t seen that at this point.” Kirby continued to say the White House does not want to see a single innocent life taken. NETANYAHU RESPONDS TO STRIKE THAT KILLED HAMAS TERROR LEADERS, CIVILIANS: ‘INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT’ Reporters continued to press Kirby on the matter, asking if Biden had a personal limit that needed to be reached before stepping in or changing his stance. “The president has been very clear and very direct about what our expectations are for Israeli operations in Rafah specifically, but in Gaza…we don’t support, we won’t support a major ground operation in Rafah,” Kirby said. “And, we’ve been very consistent on that, and the president said that should that occur, then it might make him have to make different decisions in terms of support. We haven’t seen that happen at this point.” Kirby explained that a major ground operation involved tens of thousands of troops or thousands of troops moving in a coordinated set of maneuvers against a wide variety of targets on the ground, “in a massive way.” ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE ON RAFAH KILLS 2 TOP HAMAS COMMANDERS, DOZENS OF CIVILIANS U.S. officials have not seen Israeli troops move in that way, according to Kirby. He called the events on Sunday a “very tragic” airstrike, and it was not the first in recent days or weeks. “Nobody was asking me about red lines a week or so ago when there were other airstrikes in Rafah that didn’t cause civilian casualties,” Kirby said. “This is an airstrike. It’s not a major ground operation. It’s different. Now, again, we’re not taking anything at face value, either. We’re not on the ground.” Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., was asked on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Wednesday whether Israel had crossed the U.S. “red line” for future weapons support following the strike in Rafah. BIDENN’S HOLD ON ISRAEL WEAPONS SHIPMENT STUNS RETIRED US GENERAL: ‘THIS IS A TURNING POINT’ Fetterman, who has irked the left with his staunch support of Israel, said the images from the region were “heartbreaking,” but they represent a hard truth about the conflict. Fetterman called Israel a key ally and said he would absolutely trust and work with someone like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Hamas leaders and other key players in the region. “It’s a very difficult situation in Gaza. But I do believe that Hamas [cannot] be allowed to operate if there’s going to be any enduring peace in this situation,” Fetterman said. Fox News’ Nikolas Lanum, Bradford Betz and Trey Yingst contributed to this report.
Antisemitism at Yale, Univ. of Michigan to face congressional scrutiny
FIRST ON FOX: The dates for closed-door interviews with top university presidents have been announced as House Republicans continue to probe antisemitism at educational institutions across the country. Two university leaders were provided notice by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce on Wednesday of upcoming transcribed interviews that will be closed to the press. Yale University President Dr. Peter Salovey is set to speak with the committee in a closed-to-press interview on June 20 at 10:30 a.m., and University of Michigan President Dr. Santa J. Ono is scheduled to appear for his own private interview on Aug. 9 at 10 a.m. GOP SEN CALLS FOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO TRUMP TRIAL JUDGE OVER GAG ORDERS In a statement to Fox News Digital, Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., said, “The Committee has identified patterns of antisemitism on Yale’s and Michigan’s campuses and a general failure by these universities to protect Jewish students that must be addressed. Presidents Salovey and Ono will be required to appear before the committee for transcribed interviews and answer questions on their records.” BIDEN ADMIN QUESTIONED OVER ABORTION PILL PUSH WITHOUT PROPER ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY “Questioning will be conducted by counsel(s) and/or Committee staff designated by the Chair and Ranking Member, respectively. The Majority and the Minority will question you in alternating, hour-long rounds, beginning with Majority staff, until neither side has remaining questions,” she wrote in letters to the leaders on Wednesday. “We have received the letter and President Santa J. Ono will appear for the transcribed interview,” said Colleen Mastony, spokesperson for the University of Michigan, in a statement. A spokesperson for Yale University told Fox News Digital, “We are committed to cooperate with the committee.” The presidents of Northwestern University, Rutgers University and the University of California, Los Angeles testified in front of the committee earlier this month during a hearing titled, “Calling for Accountability: Stopping Antisemitic College Chaos.” BIDEN WHITE HOUSE REJECTS ICC SANCTIONS PROPOSED BY LAWMAKERS AFTER ISRAEL WARRANT REQUESTS The hearing came only weeks after a high-profile pro-Palestine encampment dispersed at Columbia University and as schools across the country still struggled with their own demonstrations, which also included incidents of antisemitism. The Michigan and Yale presidents were originally slated to appear at the same hearing. ‘TOO LATE’: TRUMP BACKS CHALLENGER TO FREEDOM CAUCUS CHAIR DESPITE RECEIVING PRIOR ENDORSEMENT The outbreak of antisemitism on college campuses has correlated with the onset of the war between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas in Gaza, which began in October 2023 after the group murdered Israeli civilians and took hostages in a surprise attack. Since then, antisemitic incidents across the country have skyrocketed. In the first three months following the Hamas terrorist attack, more antisemitic incidents occurred than during the entirety of each year between 2013 and 2021, with the exception of 2022, according to the Anti-Defamation League’s data. The number of incidents in those three months represented a 361% increase from the same period in 2022, during which 712 incidents occurred. Requests seeking comment from the University of Michigan went unanswered at press time.
GOP Sen calls for criminal investigation into Trump trial judge over gag orders
Sen. J.D. Vance is demanding a criminal investigation into New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan over his enforcement of gag orders against former President Trump during his trial. The Ohio Republican, a strong advocate of the former president, called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to open an investigation into Merchan, specifically for depriving Trump of his First Amendment right to free speech. “The public evidence suggests that an investigation is warranted at least. And all indications are that the responsible parties have their sights set, not only on rights protected by the Constitution, but on rightsholders of core federal concern, including the leading candidate for the presidency,” Vance wrote in a letter to Garland. BIDEN ADMIN QUESTIONED OVER ABORTION PILL PUSH WITHOUT PROPER ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY He cites two statutes to pursue Merchan under, one which prevents “conspiracies to ‘injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate’ others in the enjoyment of federally protected rights” and another to prohibit anyone from “willfully [depriving] a person of a right or privilege protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States.” BIDEN WHITE HOUSE REJECTS ICC SANCTIONS PROPOSED BY LAWMAKERS AFTER ISRAEL WARRANT REQUESTS “On Merchan’s orders, a Republican presidential candidate has been made powerless to question the credibility of the witnesses testifying against him, the motivations of the prosecutors pursuing him, or the impartiality of the apparently conflicted judge fining him,” Vance claimed. The Department of Justice did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication. ‘TOO LATE’: TRUMP BACKS CHALLENGER TO FREEDOM CAUCUS CHAIR DESPITE RECEIVING PRIOR ENDORSEMENT Vance even suggested that Merchan has deprived Trump of more than just his First Amendment rights. He claimed the judge had tried to prevent the former president from getting an impartial jury. “During jury selection, Merchan refused to dismiss prospective jurors with obvious bias,” he wrote. IN NEW TV AD, MARYLAND’S LARRY HOGAN CHARTS POTENTIAL SENATE PATH FORWARD AS CENTRIST Republicans and Trump have been critical of the prosecution, charges and the presiding judge in the case against the former president, often referring to it as “election interference.”
Wisconsin establishes $100M business startup assistance fund
Gov. Tony Evers and Wisconsin’s economic development agency on Wednesday announced the launch of a new public-private $100 million fund to help start-up companies and entrepreneurs get started, the largest of its kind in state history. The Wisconsin Investment Fund is initially being funded with $50 million the state received in federal funds and $50 million from private investors. Evers announced the new fund at Forward BIOLABS in Madison, a nonprofit that helps launch startups. “We want to support entrepreneurs who want to start here, who want to grow here and most importantly who want to stay here,” said Missy Hughes, secretary of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, the state economic development agency. WISCONSIN DEMS INVEST $7M IN TV ADS FOR 5 KEY STATE SENATE RACES Venture capital firms selected to administer the fund must match each dollar of public money with at least one dollar of private investment. The state’s return on these investments is then reinvested into the fund. “As the businesses that receive these investments start to grow, the value of the fund will grow with them, creating new opportunities to help even more businesses expand,” Evers said. The federal money comes from the U.S. Treasury’s State Small Business Credit Initiative. The Wisconsin fund will be investing in companies working in technology, health care, agriculture, manufacturing, and other areas, the governor’s office said. The first awardees are HealthX Ventures, based in Madison, $15 million; Venture Investors Health Fund, based in Madison and Milwaukee, $12 million; Serra Ventures, based in Champaign, Illinois, $7 million; NVNG Investment Advisors, based in Madison and Milwaukee, $6 million; and Idea Fund of La Crosse, $5 million. The state is negotiating with a sixth fund manager for the fund’s remaining $5 million allocation.
Conservatives unload on ‘political’ NYC prosecution of Trump outside courtroom: ‘Damaging to the country’
Bystanders outside former President Trump’s criminal trial on Wednesday spoke to Fox News Digital and blasted what they said is a political prosecution of the former president and chief political rival of President Biden. “This thing is damaging to the American legal system for decades to come,” a man outside the courtroom told Fox News Digital. “The political use of the courts. Listen, on this level, it’s dreadful… never mind Trump, it’s damaging to the country.” When asked if he thought the trial was politically motivated, the man scoffed in agreement and said, “It’s also economically motivated.” “Let’s do it fair, let’s lay out the deck of cards, if Biden is scared to lay down the deck of cards and ask what happened with the cocaine in the White House, the people still want to know… why CNN aint publicize that, why?” Another man wearing a New York Yankees cap told Fox News Digital, “Why they ain’t making no news about it? It’s not about being a racist, you know I was a Democrat for long [time], but I had to research and start seeing things and I started to come to a clear perception and said, ‘Nah, Donald Trump is right.’” COULD VERDICT IN TRUMP CRIMINAL TRIAL UPEND THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION? “You don’t have to agree with him about everything but one thing you can say… he love to take care of the people, he love people,” the man added. “Because he’s doing everything for us,” a woman outside the courtroom told Fox News Digital when asked why she believes Trump is a “good president.” Another man told Fox News Digital he thinks Democrats are “desperate” and “losing their s—.” NY V TRUMP: FORMER PRESIDENT UNLEASHES SOCIAL MEDIA FIRESTORM AHEAD OF JURY DELIBERATION “They’re losing their composure and they’re just so scared that he might be elected they’re just losing their stuff totally,” the man, who was holding an American flag, added. When asked what the outcome of the trial will be, the man said, “His ratings will go up, we have a Constitution, so sooner or later, whatever at first happens will be overturned, so thank God we’re a constitutional republic.” The man said he “wouldn’t be surprised” if Trump was convicted in the New York City case, but the “consensus seems to be a hung jury.” “It shows that it’s fragile,” the man said about how this trial reflects the criminal justice system in the United States. “Half the country doesn’t realize that we have a constitutional republic, and they think that the quote ‘majority’ should make the laws and that’s not the way it works. The Constitution supersedes the majority.” Jurors in the case were handed their final instructions on Wednesday and were sent out to deliberate on Trump’s guilt in the 34 charges against him stemming from allegations he improperly covered up an NDA agreement with porn star Stormy Daniels. Trump has pleaded not guilty on all counts and dismissed the allegations as a political prosecution. Fox News Digital’s Matteo Cina contributed to this report
Joe Manchin faces pressure for 11th-hour run to secure critical seat for Democrats
West Virginia Democrats sought to push back on rumors this week that outgoing Sen. Joe Manchin, who was expected to retire, might be mounting a surprise campaign for governor. The conjecture intensified after Manchin was reportedly bombarded by people urging him to run at an event at the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, according to WVMetroNews. The Greenbrier is notably owned by the state’s current governor, Democrat-turned-Republican Jim Justice, who is term-limited and now is the GOP’s Senate nominee to replace Manchin. “The talk about the possibility of Joe Manchin running for West Virginia governor again is real,” wrote Hoppy Kercheval, a news anchor and one of the state’s most recognizable media figures. Any Manchin run would be complicated by the fact the state’s primaries have already ended, with Huntington Mayor Steve Williams the current Democratic nominee. MANCHIN ON 2024 PROSPECTS: I’D NEVER BE A SPOILER The senator also only has a few days to make any decision, according to state officials who contradicted reports Manchin would have to take Williams’ place as the Democratic nominee – or be able to run against the mayor of the state’s second-largest city. Manchin, who previously served as governor from 2005 to 2010 before winning the seat of the deceased Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., would have to leave the Democratic Party to do so, an official in the West Virginia secretary of state’s office told Fox News Digital. The official said it is too late for Manchin to run as either a Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or member of the state’s Mountain Party – and that the deadline is essentially June 1 for anyone else seeking office this year. Unaffiliated candidates are able to gain ballot access for the November election by gathering signatures from any party’s voters and filing them along with a certificate of announcement by Aug. 1. But, the candidate may not have been a member of a recognized party within 60 days of that filing, which would be June 1, at the latest. ILHAN OMAR ATTACKING MANCHIN PROVES HE’S RIGHT: PETER KING Attempts to reach West Virginia Republican Party Chairman Matt Herridge on the matter were unsuccessful, but in comments to WVMetroNews, Herridge said the party is “united squarely behind” the Republican gubernatorial nominee, state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey. However, state Del. Mike Pushkin – the chairman of the state’s Democratic Party – rejected any claims Manchin is going to launch a surprise bid and instead said much of the conjecture comes from Republicans unhappy with Morrisey as their nominee. “Over two-thirds of Republicans voted for somebody else,” he said of the GOP gubernatorial primary between Morrisey, who positioned himself to the right of the other major GOP candidate, state Del. Moore Capito – the son of Manchin’s colleague Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V. “Sen. Manchin isn’t running. We have a nominee who is Mayor Steve Williams and I think when some of our Republican friends and independent friends take a look at Williams’ record, there will be a lot to support,” Pushkin said. Pushkin said despite political headwinds, he is confident Williams is the right nominee, irrespective of pressure on the more-recognizable Manchin. He said Huntington was bankrupt and police were underpaid until Williams was elected, adding that the mayor also did not raise taxes. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP With Manchin retiring from the Senate either way, Pushkin said the senator’s potential Democratic successor, Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott, also has a “great story to tell” about his time as mayor of the city just west of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and tenure working for Byrd. In response to the news, an official with the Republican Governors Association said Republican voters spoke loud and clear in selecting Morrisey as the nominee. “There is only one conservative candidate on the ballot who will stand up to the Biden administration’s disastrous agenda and deliver results for West Virginia families and no amount of wish-casting by anonymous sources will change that,” said RGA national press secretary Courtney Alexander. Manchin’s office did not respond to multiple attempts to procure comment.
What happens if Trump is convicted? Legal experts break it down
A Manhattan jury began deliberations Wednesday in former President Trump’s New York criminal trial. A guilty verdict in the historic case could have far-reaching consequences for the 2024 presidential election and upend criminal case law in New York, while a not guilty verdict would give Trump ammunition in a potential lawsuit for malicious prosecution, legal experts told Fox News Digital. “It seems this is an all-or-nothing case, assuming arguendo there is a verdict and not a hung jury,” said Trey Gowdy, “Sunday Night in America” host and a former federal prosecutor. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg indicted Trump on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all counts. LIVE UPDATES: JUDGE MERCHAN PRESENTS JURY WITH INSTRUCTIONS AHEAD OF DELIBERATIONS IN NY V. TRUMP TRIAL Gowdy, who has been in the New York City courtroom where Trump’s case will be decided, said it was unlikely for the jury to find Trump guilty on some charges but not others. “I cannot foresee a verdict with some counts as guilty and others as not. Unless there is a lesser included misdemeanor charge, in which case there perhaps could be a series of convictions for felony and misdemeanor counts,” he said. Louis Gelormino, a Staten Island defense attorney, agreed that the jury would render the same verdict on all counts “because all the felonies are pretty much the same.” “They’re just different instances of the same felony,” he told Fox News Digital. NY V. TRUMP: JUDGE MERCHAN TO PRESENT JURY WITH INSTRUCTIONS AHEAD OF DELIBERATIONS The charges against Trump in New York are related to alleged payments made ahead of the 2016 presidential election to silence adult film star Stormy Daniels about an alleged 2006 extramarital sexual encounter with Trump. Prosecutors must convince the jury that not only did Trump falsify the business records related to alleged hush money payments, but that he did so in furtherance of another crime, conspiracy to promote or prevent an election. Bragg’s allegation that Trump falsified records to cover up an additional crime elevated to a felony what otherwise would have been misdemeanor charges. Gelormino said that in 45 years of practicing criminal law in New York, he and his law partner have never seen a case like this. “This is the most absurd, obscene case we’ve ever seen anybody try to get convicted of. And for this to be a case against the former president of the United States puts it way over the top,” he said. “Any citizen, anybody, should never be charged with these kind of crimes.” NY V. TRUMP: DEFENSE SAYS PROSECUTORS ‘DID NOT MEET THE BURDEN OF PROOF,’ FORMER PRESIDENT IS ‘INNOCENT’ If Trump is convicted, he would still be able to run for president. But what that looks like will vary greatly depending on his sentence. An appeal could take months or even years to resolve. And an appellate court would decide whether to stay any sentence or conditions pending an appeal. Prosecutors will have the option of requesting that presiding Judge Juan Merchan increase Trump’s bail to guarantee his return for the sentencing hearing. This could also include a request for remand, which would place Trump in jail until his sentencing hearing. But legal experts say it is unlikely for a 77-year-old man who has never been convicted of a crime to be sent to jail. Gelormino explained that before sentencing, the former president would have to meet with a probation officer for an interview to create a pre-sentencing report for the judge. The report, which can take six to eight weeks to complete, would include a short biography of Trump and a recommended sentence. It would be sent to all parties, and the defense would have an opportunity to suggest its own sentencing terms. Merchan would not be bound by the sentencing report. Probation offices are located throughout New York City, but Gelormino guessed that authorities would make special arrangements for Trump so that a former president is not waiting for hours in a lobby with other convicts. Trump, like any other convict, would have to abide by certain rules as he awaits sentencing, including that he must admit guilt to the probation officer. “When my clients have to meet with a probation officer, what the judges will tell you is you have to do three things. You have to stay out of trouble. You have to not get rearrested. And you have to tell the truth to the probation officer,” Gelormino said. “Meaning, they ask you about the incident, and every one of my clients that goes in there, I always tell them, ‘Just say to the probation officer you agree to what’s on the record because you have to admit guilt.’” If a convict found guilty by a jury of his peers does not admit guilt to the probation officer, Gelormino said, the judge will take that into account as an “aggravating factor” in sentencing. NY V. TRUMP: PROSECUTION SAYS THEY HAVE PRESENTED ‘POWERFUL EVIDENCE’ AGAINST FORMER PRESIDENT If Trump is sentenced to prison, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has said the city Department of Corrections and the Rikers Island facility in New York is “ready” to receive him. Asked if Trump would be housed by himself or with the general population, a Department of Corrections spokesman said, “The Department would find appropriate housing for him if he winds up in our custody.” The department did not respond to additional questions. Trump is entitled to Secret Service protection even if he is sent to prison. It is unclear how the Secret Service would coordinate with the court and correction officers to protect Trump if he is incarcerated. “I don’t think anybody knows what that would look like, God forbid that happens,” said Gelormino. Another option is for Trump to be placed in home confinement at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida residence. New York and Florida officials would have to coordinate, but this would severely restrict Trump’s ability to
Here are the top 5 biggest moments from Trump’s NY trial
Former President Trump’s New York criminal trial is nearing its end as the jury deliberates Wednesday, but the proceedings have been a roller coaster for weeks. The trial began April 15, and the former president has railed against the prosecutors, Judge Juan Merchan and some of the witnesses throughout the process. Here are some of the biggest moments over the past few weeks. Ex-lawyer Michael Cohen was the “star witness” for the prosecution, testifying that he had been the middleman for hush money payments from Trump to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Cohen admitted in testimony on May 20 that he stole thousands of dollars from the Trump Organization by overstating how much he paid a tech company that provided services for the Trump Organization. ROBERT DE NIRO CLAIMS TRUMP ‘COULD DESTROY THE WORLD’ OUTSIDE MANHATTAN COURT “You stole from the Trump Org, right?” Trump attorney Todd Blanche asked Cohen. “Yes, sir,” Cohen responded. The testimony stems from his comments earlier in the trial, when he detailed to the court that he and former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg calculated a $420,000 repayment to Cohen for his $130,000 payment to Daniels. The payment to Daniels came ahead of the 2016 election to quiet her claims of an alleged affair with Trump in 2006. Cohen previously testified that the repayment was “grossed up” to prevent him from taking a tax hit, and also included reimbursement for paying tech company Red Finch an alleged $50,000. NY V TRUMP: AS ‘STAR WITNESS’ MICHAEL COHEN TESTIFIES, TRUMP ALLIES FLOCK TO COURT TO ‘SUPPORT THEIR FRIEND’ Cohen testified Monday that he went to TD Bank and withdrew cash over a couple of days to pay Red Finch for its services, and stored the money in a brown paper bag. The cash ultimately totaled about $20,000, which he gave to Red Finch’s CEO, according to Cohen, but he said he never gave the company the full $50,000. During a 2017 meeting on the repayment plan, Cohen said, he told Weisselberg he paid Red Finch $50,000 – meaning he pocketed the $30,000 difference. Daniels testified earlier in the trial about her affair with Trump, telling the court that he paid her off to keep quiet. Her testimony went into vulgar detail about her interactions with Trump, and many commentators – even those critical of the former president – thought it was a disaster for the prosecution. “The View” co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump aide who is now a strong critic, also questioned Daniels’ credibility. “I actually don’t believe she needed to go into salacious detail. I would have liked to hear from Stormy, who is a mom, who wants to live a private life, wants to put this behind her, has been exploited by countless men in her life,” Griffin said. “She was there under subpoena just to confirm what she is able to.” CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig offered his own opinion about Daniels taking the stand. Honig claimed that cross-examination by Trump’s team had successfully brought up the topic of her credibility. TRUMP PREVIEWS CLOSING ARGUMENTS IN ‘SHAM TRIAL’: ‘VERY DANGEROUS DAY FOR AMERICA’ “Her responses were disastrous,” Honig said, referring also to the moment when Daniels said she hated Trump. “When the witness hates the person whose liberty is at stake, that’s a big damn deal!” Honig said. “And she’s putting out tweets, fantasizing about him being in jail. That really undermines the credibility.” Much of the drama in the trial has centered on Judge Juan Merchan’s gag order against Trump, which prevents the former president from criticizing witnesses. Merchan sided with prosecutors when they accused him of violating the gag order multiple times. The judge fined Trump $9,000 – $1,000 for each violation – and warned him that further violations could result in jail time. The judge detailed that if Trump carries out “continued willful violations” of the gag order, he could face “incarceratory punishment” if “necessary and appropriate.” Trump attorneys argue the gag order is a violation of the former president’s First Amendment rights. District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his office alleged Trump violated the order at least 14 times. The gag order was imposed on Trump on April 1. NY V. TRUMP: JUDGE MERCHAN TO PRESENT JURY WITH INSTRUCTIONS AHEAD OF DELIBERATIONS Trump complained about the gag order nearly every time he spoke to the press outside the courtroom. Trump’s defense attorneys moved for a mistrial amid Daniels’ testimony, arguing it had been prejudicial. Merchan said a mistrial was not warranted and that he was doing everything he could to control the witness, including once objecting to Daniels’ testimony himself. “I agree that it would have been better if some of these things had been left unsaid,” Merchan said at the time. Blanche argued the prosecution was trying to inflame the jury with Daniels’ testimony, including with evidence that he said does not matter. Blanche said it is prejudicial testimony and evidence, saying Daniels has been trying to sell her story about an alleged consensual sexual encounter since 2016. “We believe there should be a mistrial,” he said, “or that this witness’ testimony is excluded and extremely limited.” Blanche said Daniels’ lurid and explosive testimony “has nothing to do with this case” and is “totally irrelevant.” Actor Robert De Niro crashed Trump’s trial in an appearance with President Biden’s campaign outside the Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday. De Niro railed against Trump, arguing he would destroy the country if he gains office in 2024. De Niro was heckled by Trump supporters as he was leaving the podium after giving his remarks. He even got into a shouting match with one man in a MAGA hat who called him a “washed up” actor. ROBERT DE NIRO’S ‘OVER-THE-TOP’ TIRADE WAS A ‘STUPID MISTAKE’ BY THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN: KARL ROVE “De Niro being chased out of his own press conference is epic,” one Trump supporter wrote on X. Another added, “New Yorkers hate him! This didn’t go the way he thought it would.” The Biden campaign event was mocked as a joke by many commentators on the right. “It