Former President Donald Trump is facing several legal battles, but that hasn’t stopped him from connecting with his supporters. Here are the key points:
- Trump visited a construction site in New York City to meet with workers
- He still enjoys strong backing from unions and working-class Americans
- His lawyers are fighting charges related to an alleged hush money payment
- Judges are sceptical about prosecuting presidents for official actions
A Morning with the Hardhat Crew
Early one morning, Trump headed straight to a construction site in New York. He was warmly welcomed by the hardhat workers there, shaking hands and chatting with the people who built the city.
“They don’t get the credit they deserve. Very few can do what they do,” Trump said of the workers.
The construction union leader expressed his members’ strong support for Trump over President Biden on issues like inflation, immigration, and crime.
Trump Eyes a New York Win
Despite New York typically voting Democratic, Trump thinks he can win the state in the next election. “Biden is the worst president in history,” he told the workers. “We have a good chance of winning New York in my opinion.”
After mingling with his blue-collar supporters, Trump headed to court for the latest hearing in the case over alleged hush money payments. But he remained defiant, calling the charges “breathtaking” and saying they “should have never been filed.”
Star Witness Problems for Prosecutors?
In court, prosecutors brought back David Pecker from the National Enquirer as a critical witness. But Trump’s lawyers got to cross-examine him this time.
It turns out Pecker had made “catch and kill” deals to bury stories for numerous celebrities and politicians from both parties over the years, not just Trump. It could undermine prosecutors’ efforts to single out Trump’s actions as criminal.
Judge Skeptical of Charging Presidents
Meanwhile, a different judge hearing a separate case expressed concerns about charging presidents criminally for official acts. He worried it could create “a vicious cycle of partisan prosecutions and pardons” by future administrations.
The judge asked whether federal prosecutors had ever faced cases where a grand jury refused to indict despite their wishes. The prosecutors admitted this does sometimes happen.
In the end, Trump remains defiant, planning more rallies in New York to connect with police, firefighters, and teachers. All signs point to him running hard for the White House again in 2024 despite the legal challenges.
What happens next in this high-stakes legal battle? Only time will
