‘This is an attack on America’: Trump rages over ‘nonsense’ hush-money case, says ‘HONORED’ to be in Manhattan court to defend himself against ‘political persecution’

Donald Trump said as he arrived at the Manhattan courthouse on Monday for the first criminal trial against him that the charges are ‘an assault on America’.

The former president left his Trump Tower home on Monday to prepare for the start of jury selection in his historic first criminal trial in which he alleged he falsified documents related to his hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.

Trump said he was “honored” and “proud” to face the charges and appear in court on Monday for the start of jury selection.

Before Trump left to make the four-mile drive downtown, Trump engaged in a social media spat, accusing Democrats of using the hush money case as a political weapon to get him into office a courtroom and spend money instead of being out on the campaign trail. .

“People who don’t necessarily follow or like Donald Trump said it’s an outrage that this case was filed,” Trump lamented before entering the courtroom Monday. ‘This is political persecution, this is persecution like never before.’

He continued: ‘It’s an attack on America and that’s why I’m very proud to be here. This is an attack on our country – and it is a failing country. It is a country run by an incompetent man who is very involved in this matter.’

“This is really an attack on a political opponent,” Trump said. ‘That’s all it is, so I’m very honored to be here.’

The 77-year-old appears in the Manhattan courthouse for day one of the trial as jury selection begins in the historic prosecution of a former president currently running for another term in 2024.

The case stems from allegations that the former president falsified business records in payments to porn star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about their affair.

Just hours before the trial started on Monday, he took to Truth Social to talk about all aspects of the case and lamented being stripped of his voice after being placed under a gag order.

He also said the Democrats’ involvement in bringing the series of lawsuits against him is a way to interfere in the 2024 presidential election and prevent him from campaigning.

Trump pleaded not guilty to falsifying business records to cover up “hush money” payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, who she had made to keep quiet about their affair before the 2016 presidential election.

Jury selection for the case begins Monday, and potential jurors will be asked at least 42 questions ranging from their views on extreme groups like Antifa and QAnon and how they consume their news.

Meanwhile, both pro- and anti-Trump protesters gathered outside the Manhattan courthouse on Monday morning.

‘The Radical Left Democrats are already rigging the 2024 presidential election by filing or helping to file all these bogus lawsuits against me,’ Trump wrote, ‘thereby forcing me to sit in courthouses and spend campaign money instead of to be out in the field beating Crooked Joe Biden, the WORST president in US history.’

He added in the Truth Social post: ‘Electoral meddling!’

‘When I walk into that courtroom I know I will have the love of 200 million Americans behind me and I will fight for the FREEDOM of 325 MILLION AMERICANS!’ he wrote in another post.

Just before leaving for the courthouse on Monday, Trump’s campaign sent out an email seeking to raise money for the former president’s criminal prosecutions.

‘THE BITE ATTEMPT IS IN PROGRESS!’ reads the startling email. ‘I’m heading to court TOMORROW for my RIGGED RETAGE and only YOUR SUPPORT will get me through this dark time.’

Trump’s message to his supporters continued: ‘Because of you, I WILL NEVER SURRENDER!’

The email takes supporters to task, prompting MAGA fanatics to donate $20.24 or $47 to the former president’s 2024 re-election effort.

New York Judge Juan M. Merchan issued a gag order last month barring Trump from speaking publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in the trial.

Merchan cited the former president’s pattern of issuing ‘threatening, inflammatory, derogatory’ statements about people involved in legal proceedings against him.

“I want my vote back,” Trump wrote on his social media Monday ahead of the trial where he plans to take the stand.

“This crooked judge GAGGED me,” the former president and 2024 candidate continued. ‘Unconstitutional! The other side can talk about me, but I must not talk about them! Rigged trial!’

Trump claimed in a separate post that ‘virtually all legal scholars’ believe the hush money case should no longer be pursued because it falls outside the statute of limitations.

‘This ‘trial’ should be concluded by the highly conflicted presiding judge,’ he insisted.

‘Why didn’t they file this totally discredited lawsuit 7 years ago??? Election interference!’ added the former president.

The selection of the jury is bound to trigger at least several days of intensive questioning of the people who will decide Trump’s fate in the case.

Judge Merchan released a list of 42 questions he plans to ask potential jurors about in an effort to ensure an impartial trial, including any connections they may have to the former president’s political circles.

Questions will include whether citizens have any connections or views about radical groups such as Antifa and QAnon, as well as where they get their news and whether they have ever attended political rallies for the former president.

Both sides of the case are under a ton of pressure to select a jury that will be perceived as fair – or risk a trial later.