Former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan took an unexpected turn as his son, Barron Trump, became a topic of conversation.
During the jury selection process, Judge Juan Merchan discussed various matters with the involved parties, including Trump’s gag orders and evidence admissibility.
In a surprising request, Trump’s counsel asked the judge to adjourn court on specific dates to allow Trump and his team to attend events, such as a Supreme Court hearing and Barron’s high school graduation in May.
While the judge declined the adjournment for the Supreme Court hearing, he reserved his decision about Barron’s graduation. Judge Merchan emphasized that he saw no issue with the request but needs to evaluate the trial’s progress before making a final decision. Depending on the trial’s timeline and potential delays, the judge may consider adjourning for one or both of those days.
Barron Trump, who recently turned 18, has been attending a private academy in Florida. With guidance from his mother, former first lady Melania Trump, he is considering his options after graduation. Meanwhile, Donald Trump faces the challenge of running a presidential campaign while preparing for his trial. He anticipates spending four days a week in court over the next few months as a New York jury evaluates 34 felony charges related to falsified business records.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg leads the case against Trump. Bragg is expected to argue that Trump’s alleged crimes extend beyond mere white-collar mischief and were part of a larger scheme to unlawfully sway the 2016 presidential election in his favor. The indictment accuses Trump of falsifying financial records to hide hush money payments to Stormy Daniels during the election. Bragg asserts that these actions were an attempt to defraud voters. If convicted, Trump could face prison time.
Currently, the court is in the process of selecting impartial jurors from a large pool. This crucial step may take up to two weeks before the opening arguments begin.
As the trial unfolds, the request to accommodate Barron’s high school graduation remains under consideration. The judge will weigh such requests based on the trial’s progress to ensure fairness while addressing Trump’s family commitments.
