Former President Donald Trump reportedly appeared to doze off during his ongoing hush money trial in New York. According to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, Trump’s head dropped several times while his eyes were closed for extended periods. This incident follows a similar occurrence during jury selection, where Trump faces criminal charges for allegedly falsifying business records related to hush money payments.
During the trial, Trump’s feed on Truth Social remained active, with Trump promoting his argument for presidential immunity. He argued that without presidential immunity, it would be impossible for a president to properly function. The Supreme Court is set to hear Trump’s immunity argument next week in a separate criminal trial.
This is not the first time Trump has been observed nodding off during proceedings. Reporters in the room noted that Trump appeared to nod off during the first day of jury selection earlier in the week. This has led to criticism on social media, with some of his opponents calling him “Sleepy Don,” a play on Trump’s nickname for President Joe Biden.
In a tangential incident, Trump, along with multiple prosecutors and defense attorneys, complained about the cold temperature in the courtroom. Trump described the room as “freezing,” and his attorney Todd Blanche requested court staff to turn up the thermostat by “just one degree.” Judge Juan Merchan, overseeing the case, apologized to prospective jurors about the temperature but refused to turn up the heat, citing the potential for a significant increase in temperature with even a small adjustment.
Jury selection is expected to wrap up soon, with all 12 jurors officially seated on Thursday. The selection process involved what Merchan described as the “most exhaustive questionnaire” the court had ever seen. Before opening arguments can begin, Merchan must select six alternate jurors for the trial, which is expected to last six weeks.
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