Jury selection completed for Trump hush money trial in NYC; opening arguments begin Monday

“The entire court is impacted by this. The court officers rushed to help aid the man. Everyone who works in this building every day, their heart goes out to this incident,” courts spokesman Al Baker told the New York Daily News.

“The judge himself has expressed concern for him, but in terms of the timing, and the process is unchanged," Baker said. "The court proceeding will continue.”

Later Friday, Merchan heard arguments from both sides after jury selection regarding what evidence the jury could see, which he’s expected to rule on next week. And a New York midlevel appeals court judge denied another of Trump’s efforts to upend the trial timeline — the fourth in less than two weeks. After hearing a last-minute emergency motion, 1st Department Associate Justice Marsha Michael denied the request to pause the trial until Trump’s request to move it out of Manhattan is decided.

Trump sat hunched over at the defense table most of the day, reading through paperwork as the potential jurors addressed the court. He did not answer questions about the self-immolation as he entered the courtroom.

Outside court, he slammed a gag order prosecutors say he’s violated eight times alone this week.

“The gag order has to come off,” Trump said. “People are allowed to speak about me and I have a gag order, just to show you how much more unfair it is.”

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felonies alleging he repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to cover up a hush money scheme intended to hide damaging information from the voting public in 2016.

The charges relate to a $130,000 payment his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels that he allegedly reimbursed him for in 2017, as well as payoffs to former Playboy model Karen McDougal and Trump Tower doorman.

Daniels and McDougal, who are expected to testify, both allege they slept with Trump at a Lake Tahoe charity golf tournament in 2006, less than two years after he wed Melania Trump and they became parents to Barron Trump. He denies both women’s claims.

As he seeks the White House once again, Trump is facing a total of 88 felonies across four states, containing allegations of criminal conduct dating from the year before he took office to the year he left. The allegations run the gamut from falsifying records to plotting to overthrow democracy. He has decried all charges as part of a Democrat-led “witch hunt.”