Donald Trump complained about the frigid weather in the courtroom as 12 jurors were seated for the hush money trial.
The 77-year-old former president complained about the frigid weather in the courtroom as the proceedings halted for lunch.
The presumptive Republican nominee asked, “Is it cold enough?” Todd Blanche, Trump’s defense attorney, confronted Judge Juan Merchan about the “freezing” temperature in the chamber earlier in the morning.
Judge Merchan stated, “It’s chilly in here, no question.” However, he declined to change the temperature for fear of making the courtroom too heated, according to Mirror US.
He said, “It’s cold.” There’s no denying it’s frigid. But I’d rather be a bit cold than sweating, and those are the options.
“[I am] trying to do the best we can do to control the temperature, but it’s one extreme or the other.”
Manhattan Criminal Courthouse is a 17-story building constructed in 1941. According to the Department of Citywide Administration Services in New York City, the building features a steel frame with a granite and limestone facade.
The frigid temperatures are most likely caused by the building’s age and construction.
A jury of 12 persons was convened on Thursday in the former US president’s historic hush money trial.
The court soon shifted to picking alternate jurors, with the process set to conclude by the end of the week. Prosecutors could start presenting their case early next week.