Former President Donald Trump is finding ways to adapt his schedule and message to enhance his bid to return to the White House, despite being confined to a courtroom for his New York hush money trial on most weekdays.
On Tuesday evening, Trump made a visit to a bodega in Harlem, which had been the site of a fatal stabbing two years ago. This visit took place at the end of the second day of jury selection in his trial. During his visit, Trump took the opportunity to voice his criticism of what he perceived as Democratic failures in public safety.
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In a direct attack, Trump specifically targeted the Manhattan district attorney, emphasizing his ongoing claims that Democrats are lenient on crime and asserting that the charges against him are driven by political bias. However, prosecutors firmly reject these allegations, maintaining that they are simply upholding the law. Trump maintains his innocence throughout the ordeal.
“He’s to blame for all of this,” he exclaimed angrily at the bodega. “Alvin Bragg doesn’t take any action. Instead, he focuses on targeting individuals like Trump, who haven’t committed any wrongdoing. Meanwhile, there are countless violent criminals and murderers roaming freely throughout the city.”
During his court recess, he didn’t miss the chance to criticize Bragg and his ongoing criminal trial, just one of the four he is currently facing. Additionally, he took the opportunity to reiterate his familiar narrative about “crime-ridden” cities predominantly governed by Democrats. This includes his hometown of New York, where he initially gained prominence before relocating to Florida.
While criticizing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who is prosecuting him in Georgia for his attempts to overturn his 2020 election defeat in the state, he has also made allegations about crime in Atlanta.
During his visit to Harlem on Tuesday, Trump attended a shop that had a tragic incident in 2022. The shop’s former clerk, Jose Alba, found himself in a life-threatening situation and acted in self-defense by fatally stabbing someone who was attacking him. The Bodega Association invited Trump to this particular shop.
In the surveillance footage captured inside the bodega, Austin Simon can be seen confronting Alba behind the cash register. He aggressively shoves Alba, which quickly escalates into a full-blown fight between the two.
Alba faced a murder charge initially, which stirred up controversy. However, Bragg’s office eventually decided to drop the case against Alba, stating that they lacked enough evidence to continue.
According to statistics from the New York City police, violent crime in the city has been steadily declining, despite President Trump’s rhetoric about crime.
According to the data, homicides during March 17 were 19% lower than the same period in 2023. However, it is worth noting that homicides had surged by 30% in 2020, during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Crime and public safety play a crucial role in Trump’s appeal to voters during his campaign. He also criticizes President Joe Biden for the issues of high inflation and immigration.
As the first of his criminal trials commences, the former president has expressed frustration over how his court obligations are disrupting his campaign schedule. Nevertheless, he remains determined to campaign extensively on weekends, holding rallies in various locations.
During his own campaign event on Tuesday, Biden criticized Trump for his past support of tax cuts benefiting the wealthy, stating that Trump “personifies” the shortcomings of trickle-down economics.
According to Biden’s team, his campaign has been actively engaging with swing states even before Trump’s trial commenced.
“This trial should have never been initiated,” Trump expressed to reporters, as he made his way back to court on Tuesday. He took advantage of the constant media attention surrounding him, stating, “I should be out there campaigning right now in Pennsylvania, Florida, and many other states like North Carolina and Georgia.”
During a press discussion at the Harlem bodega later on Tuesday, Trump once again voiced his unfounded criticism that keeping him off the trail is an act of “election interference.”
In New York, he is confronting 34 charges of committing first-degree falsification of business records. These charges are connected to the payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign, with the alleged intention of preventing her from publicly disclosing a sexual encounter she claimed to have had with him, an accusation he vehemently denies. He maintains his plea of not guilty.
During the ongoing jury selection process, Trump expressed his preference for jurors who exhibit fairness, as he conveyed while speaking at the bodega.
When asked about his thoughts on the seven jurors who have already been chosen, he humorously replied, “I’ll give you an update in approximately two months.”
Trump criticized the use of a gag order, labeling it as “unconstitutional.” He emphasized that there should not be any restrictions on freedom of speech.
During his bodega stop, he was questioned about the recent attempts made by two Republican hard-line lawmakers to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson from his position due to his stance on voting for foreign aid.
“We’ll wait and see what happens with that,” Trump declared. “I genuinely believe he is an exceptional individual.”
