CNN commentator and New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman reported that former President Donald Trump “appears to be sleeping” during the court proceedings of his election interference-hush money trial.
Trump’s trial involves 34 felony counts in a case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, which centers on hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels. The trial commenced on Monday morning with jury selection.
CNN provided live coverage of the trial, branded as the “Trump Hush Money Trial,” complete with custom graphics and reporting from outside the courthouse.
Meanwhile, Haberman and her Times colleagues offered live text updates from inside the trial, including observations that may prove embarrassing for Trump.
“We are sitting through a somewhat dull discussion about an important issue: Last month, the judge, seeking to stem a flood of defense motions meant in part to delay the trial, asked the defense to give notice when it sought to make a new argument. Ever since, the defense has sought to turn that very order, meant to combat delays, into a delay tactic. That includes right now.”
Several minutes later, Haberman wrote “Trump appears to be sleeping. His head keeps dropping down and his mouth goes slack.”
A few minutes later, Haberman provided a Trump sleeping update, writing “Trump has apparently jolted back awake, noticing the notes his lawyer passed him several minutes ago.”
About ten minutes after that, one of Haberman’s colleagues wrote “Justice Merchan says that the prospective jurors, who haven’t even come to the courtroom yet, are now on their lunch break. As such, we are also now breaking to eat and will be back at 1:30 p.m.”
