Former President Donald Trump is facing criminal trial in New York on charges related to alleged hush money payments made ahead of the 2016 election.
Jury selection is ongoing, with seven jurors selected so far. Trump has pleaded not guilty and denies any wrongdoing.
“I tell the truth,” Trump said.
If convicted, he would be the first U.S. president to be criminally convicted.
During jury selection and campaign stops related to the trial, Trump has strongly criticized the prosecution as politically motivated and blasted Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg over rising crime in New York City.
“It makes me campaign locally, and that’s OK,” Trump said. “We’re doing better now than we’ve ever done, so I think it’s having a reverse effect.”
“We’re going to come in – No. 1, you have to stop crime, and we’re going to let the police do their job. They have to be given back their authority. They have to be able to do their job,” Trump said. “And we’re going to come into New York. We’re making a big play for New York, other cities, too. But this city, I love this city.”
Trump noted that New York has “gotten so bad in the last three years, four years.”
“And we’re going to straighten New York out. So, running for president, we’re putting a big hit in New York; we could win New York,” he said.
“They want to keep me off the campaign trail,” Trump said. “But based on what I’m doing, I think there’s more press here than if I went out to some [other] location.”
Trump maintains he will campaign in New York and predicts voters will support him over Bragg’s handling of crime.
“It’s Alvin Bragg’s fault. Alvin Bragg does nothing. He goes after guys like Trump who did nothing wrong. Violent criminals, murderers? They know there are … hundreds of murders all over the city. They know who they are. They don’t pick them up. They go after Trump,” he said of New York’s crime.
He added, “The people of New York are not going to take it. That’s why they’re going to vote for Trump.”
