The Morning: Opening statements

Plus, campus protests, Narendra Modi and Taylor Swift fatigue.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story April 23, 2024 By David Leonhardt and Ian Prasad Philbrick Good morning. We're covering the first big day of Trump's New York trial — as well as campus protests, Narendra Modi and Taylor Swift fatigue. Donald Trump  Pool photo by Victor J. Blue Two stories A criminal trial is often a contest between competing stories. In the trial of Donald Trump that's just begun, prosecutors used their opening statement yesterday to tell a story about a man they say lied — and broke the law — to get elected president. The prosecutors said that Trump had paid $130,000 in hush money to a woman with whom he had an extramarital affair and that he had then filed false business records to pretend that the money was instead for legal fees. His actions were part of a pattern in which he repeatedly lied to shape his image, the prosecutors said, and it worked: He narrowly won the 2016 election. The story that Trump's lawyers offered in their own opening statements had two main features. First, they urged the jurors not to trust the witnesses who will testify against Trump, including Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, who previously pleaded guilty to making false statements. Second, Trump's lawyers argued that his attempts to affect the election were ordinary politics. "There's nothing wrong with trying to influence an election," Todd Blanche, one of Trump's lawyers, said in his opening statement. "It's called democracy." (Related: Our colleagues Jonah Bromwich and Ben Protess explain the trial's opposing visions of Trump.) Beyond the courtroom The immediate audience for these dueling arguments is the jury of 12 New Yorkers who will decide the verdict. But there is also a larger audience that will judge the case, of course: American voters. Trump's lawyers hope to persuade both the 12 jurors and this year's voters that his behavior amounted to normal campaign tactics. The prosecutors, overseen by Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, want to portray Trump as a man who lied and cheated in ways that had little precedent. "The case is not — the core of it's not — money for sex," Bragg said recently. "We would say it's about conspiring to corrupt a presidential election and then lying in New York business records to cover it up." A guilty verdict would not prevent Trump from serving as president again. Nothing in the Constitution bars people from office because of a conviction. But if Bragg's team can persuade jurors of the argument, it may have a big impact on the 2024 campaign. In recent polls, a meaningful share of Trump's current supporters say they would be less likely to vote for him if he were convicted of a crime. And because of how slowly the other three criminal cases against Trump are moving, this case may be the only one to complete a trial before the November election. In the rest of today's newsletter, we'll give you the highlights from yesterday's opening arguments and testimony and preview today's proceedings. Outside the courthouse in Manhattan. Maansi Srivastava/The New York Times Trial highlights David Pecker, the former publisher of The National Enquirer, was the trial's first witness. Pecker used the tabloid to suppress damaging rumors about Trump, and prosecutors say that Pecker helped negotiate the hush-money payment at the center of this case. He's expected to continue testifying today. Trump made no outbursts inside the courtroom but shook his head when prosecutors said things he disagreed with. He also appeared to briefly fall asleep, as he did during jury selection last week. Trump's relationship with Stormy Daniels, a former porn star, is crucial to the trial. Trump's lawyer said yesterday that the two never had sex; Daniels may be called to testify. Trump may testify, though a ruling yesterday made it less likely: The judge said prosecutors could ask him about other cases he had lost, including a recent defamation case from the writer E. Jean Carroll, who has accused him of rape. The judge, Juan Merchan, will hold a hearing this morning on Trump's gag order, which bars him from criticizing witnesses, jurors and others. Prosecutors have asked the judge to fine Trump for violating it. The court will publish transcripts of each day's proceedings. You can find them here. On "The Daily Show," Jon Stewart critiqued the news media's coverage of the trial. To understand more about the case, we recommend reading this Times Magazine profile of Bragg, Trump's nemesis who was once a standout student and rumpled dresser. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT THE LATEST NEWS Campus Protests At Columbia University. C.S. Muncy for The New York Times Universities are struggling to contain pro-Palestinian demonstrations; protesters are building encampments, and Harvard closed its yard to the public. See images from campuses. The police arrested protesting students at N.Y.U. and Yale for violating university warnings and rules. Protesters have demanded Yale divest from weapons manufacturers involved with Israel. Columbia held remote classes, days after officers arrested more than 100 pro-Palestinian student demonstrators and some Jewish students raised safety concerns. In a statement on Passover, President Biden denounced "harassment and calls for violence against Jews." An aide said he was referring to Columbia. At encampments, some Jewish protesters prepared Seder dinners. Israel-Hamas War Six months into the war, Israel has weakened Hamas but failed to achieve its primary goals: freeing hostages and destroying the organization. "Another milestone showing how we aren't whole": With more than 130 hostages remaining in Gaza, many Israelis marked Passover — but did not celebrate. People in Gaza struggle to find enough food to eat each day. Read the stories of two families trying to keep their children alive. More International News In Bakhmut, Ukraine. Tyler Hicks/The New York Times Ukraine's military has used Silicon Valley military technologies in its war against Russia. The results have been mixed. The British Parliament passed a contentious law that allows the government to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, called Muslims "infiltrators" who would take the nation's wealth if his opponents were elected. Two earthquakes shook Taiwan less than a month after the island's strongest temblor in decades. The world's military spending last year reached $2.4 trillion, a 35-year high. The United States spent more than one-third of the total. Politics On Earth Day, Biden announced grants for solar power and opened applications for the American Climate Corps. The prime minister of Papua New Guinea criticized Biden for suggesting that cannibals on the island had eaten Biden's uncle, whose military plane crashed off the coast during World War II. Supreme Court The Supreme Court seems likely to uphold local ordinances that let an Oregon city ban homeless people from sleeping or camping in public spaces. Separately, the justices agreed to hear a case challenging the Biden administration's regulation of "ghost guns," homemade firearms assembled from kits. Artificial Intelligence A Californian start-up devised a way to use A.I. to create gene editors. The advance could help researchers combat diseases. A.I.-generated child sexual abuse material could overwhelm the authorities, a Stanford report cautioned. Other Big Stories Chief Murphy Paul of Baton Rouge, La. Dean Majd for The New York Times Baton Rouge's police chief hoped police overhauls would help reduce gun violence. Measuring the success is complicated. Credit bureaus like Experian and TransUnion want "buy now, pay later" loans to appear on consumers' credit reports. Karen, a 5-year-old ostrich known for her playful antics, died at a Kansas zoo after she swallowed a staff member's keys. Opinions A photo by an eight-legged camera thief. The octopus, via Craig Foster An octopus took my camera, and the images changed the way I see the world, Craig Foster writes. The Manhattan criminal case against Trump is a legal embarrassment and a historic mistake, Jed Handelsman Shugerman argues. The Supreme Court should rule quickly on Trump's immunity claim, Liz Cheney writes. Tesla's struggles under Elon Musk are a new version of an old story: Pioneers often fail as managers, Peter Coy writes. Here is a column by Jamelle Bouie on Republicans and small businesses. A subscription to match the variety of your interests. News. Games. Recipes. Product reviews. Sports reporting. A New York Times All Access subscription covers all of it and more. Subscribe today. MORNING READS Hand-painted motifs. Simone Nocetti Local cooking: Buon Ricordo plates helped make regional Italian food popular in restaurants. Now they're collectors' items. Feelings: Researchers are trying to get inside the minds of animals. Prescriptions: Are you taking multiple medications? You might need to scale back. Much ado about nothing? Every year, millions visit a house known as Shakespeare's Birthplace. The problem is, no one actually knows where he was born. Lives Lived: Lori and George Schappell were conjoined twins fused at their foreheads. Despite their incredible physical closeness, they managed to lead separate lives — and they said they had neither wanted to be surgically separated nor wished to have been born separately. They died at 62. SPORTS Craig Carton Amy Lombard for The New York Times Open conversations: On WFAN radio, the sports broadcaster Craig Carton invites former gambling addicts like himself to tell their stories. N.B.A.: The New York Knicks took a 2-0 lead over the Philadelphia 76ers after a six-point turnaround with just seconds left. Denver Nuggets: The defending champions pushed their series lead to 2-0 over the Los Angeles Lakers thanks to Jamal Murray's buzzer beater. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT ARTS AND IDEAS In Oakham, England.  Joshua Bright for The New York Times A year and half after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain has begun to memorialize her with statues. While past works depicted monarchs like Queen Victoria as imposing and stern, many of Queen Elizabeth's statues will show her as approachable. A sculpture in the town of Oakham depicts her with three corgis at her feet. Real-life corgis came out for a look. More on culture After the release of "The Tortured Poets Department," Taylor Swift-mania has given way to another feeling: Taylor Swift fatigue. The creative team behind the 1999 horror movie "The Blair Witch Project" called for more retroactive compensation and to be consulted on a coming reboot. "Grenfell" at St. Ann's Warehouse in New York City is a "tense and enthralling" play about a fire in London that killed 72 people. A humble jacket has become a status symbol. Read why is everyone wearing a chore coat. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Craig Lee for The New York Times Roast this classic roasted chicken Provençal. Play a video game about African myths. Check whether you're eligible for a tax refund. Clean your microwave. Shave with an electric razor. GAMES Here is today's Spelling Bee. Yesterday's pangrams were corking, crooking and rocking. And here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. — David and Ian Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Morning newsletter from The New York Times, or as part of your New York Times account. To stop receiving The Morning, unsubscribe. 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