Donald Trump described the hush money case against him as an “assault on America” as he arrived at court in New York ahead of his historic trial.
The former US president is accused of criminally altering business records to cover up a $130,000 (£104,200) payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, during his 2016 election campaign.
Ms Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who was paid $150,000 (£120,000), both claim to have had affairs with Trump.
His lawyers say the payment was meant to spare himself and his family embarrassment, not to help him win the election.
Speaking as he arrived at the Manhattan court, Trump said: “Nothing like this has ever happened before. It should never been brought.
“It’s an assault on America. An assault on our country. A country that’s failing.
“It’s an attack on a political opponent, that’s all it is. So I’m very proud to be here.”
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Pic: AP
Trump then continued to attack US President Joe Biden and repeated claims that the trial is political persecution, saying: “It’s a country that’s run by an incompetent man who is very much involved in this case.”
Before proceedings began Judge Juan M Merchan denied a request by the defence to recuse himself from the case.
Defence lawyers had renewed a motion from last summer arguing that an interview Mr Merchan gave to the media, his daughter’s work at a political consultancy firm and his daughter’s social media activity created a conflict of interest that merited recusal.
Pic: Reuters
But Mr Merchan said Trump had “failed to provide” evidence of a conflict and instead relied on a “series of inferences [and] innuendos”.
“Defendant’s second motion for recusal is denied,” the judge ruled in court.
He added that he will not yet rule on Trump’s request to skip the trial on 17 May in order to attend his son’s high school graduation.
“It really depends on if we are on time and where we are in the trial,” Mr Merchan said.
People hold placards against Trump. Pic: Reuters
The trial begins with the selection of the jury, which Sky News’ US partner network, NBC, said could take up to two weeks because of the large pool of prospective jurors.
Both the defence and prosecution agreed to a “hybrid” approach to the selection process, involving jurors being asked separate questions – one about conflicts with the trial, and another on whether jurors identify as impartial or unbiased.
Mr Merchan said the process – first requested by Trump’s lawyers – would not delay anything.
Around 200 Trump supporters gathered outside the courthouse as well as roughly 40 other individuals who were protesting against the former president.
Trump with his legal team ahead of the start of jury selection. Pic: Reuters
One group of demonstrators carried a banner that read, “no one is above the law”.
Monday’s proceedings mark the first of four indictments against the former president to go to trial, and is the first to be held ahead of this year’s presidential election.
Trump faces two other criminal trials accusing him of trying to subvert his 2020 election loss to Mr Biden, and another that accuses him of mishandling classified information after he left the White House in 2021.
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He has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him. No other former US president has ever faced criminal charges.
Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyer, said he co-ordinated with Trump on payments to Ms Daniels and to Ms McDougal.
Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations in 2018 in relation to the payments and was sentenced to three years in prison. He was released into house arrest after one year.
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