Former President Donald Trump’s legal challenges are intersecting with his 2024 presidential campaign as his trial in New York City over an alleged hush money scheme begins on Monday. Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records related to reimbursements to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 ahead of the 2016 election to keep quiet about an alleged affair with Trump, which he denies.
“Crooked Joe Biden and the Democrats’ failing election interference strategy is to try and keep President Trump away from campaigning by confining him to a courtroom,” Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to The Hill.
“Unfortunately for Crooked Joe, voters see that President Trump is the strongest candidate to lead our country and nobody fights back harder than he does,” she added. “President Trump will continue to fight for truth in the courtroom and to share his winning message on the campaign trail.”
Despite facing legal troubles, Trump and his campaign plan to utilize virtual appearances, weekend campaign stops, and the media attention surrounding the trial to maintain support from his base. Trump’s team argues that the trial is an attempt by Democrats, led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, to keep him from running for president again. However, they believe that Trump’s legal challenges may not harm his campaign, especially given his past gains in the GOP primary polls after facing multiple indictments.
Trump’s campaign intends to use any breaks in the trial to campaign, with Trump already scheduled for events in North Carolina and other states. His team plans to capitalize on the media spotlight to frame him as a victim of politically motivated persecution.
The New York trial could present challenges for Trump, particularly if he is found guilty. Recent polls indicate that a majority of surveyed voters view the hush money charges as serious, although other charges against Trump, such as those related to his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election, are seen as more serious.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden and his campaign are capitalizing on the situation by drawing a contrast with Trump. While Trump spends time in court, Biden is using his freedom to visit battleground states and focus on policy issues. Biden’s travel schedule aims to highlight his stance on topics such as the tax code and economic fairness compared to Trump’s approach.
