Former President Donald Trump has expressed his continued dissatisfaction with the frigid temperature in the Manhattan courthouse where his ongoing hush money trial is taking place, suggesting it is being intentionally kept cold. “We have another day in court in a freezing courthouse,” Trump said in the hallway just before the commencement of the fourth day of testimony in his trial. “It’s very cold in there, on purpose, I believe. They don’t seem to be able to get the temperature up. It shouldn’t be that complicated.”
During jury selection last week, Trump’s defense team, prospective jurors, the judge, and members of the press all remarked on the cold temperature in the courtroom, with some even shivering. Trump’s attorney, Todd Blanche, had requested an increase in the temperature, but Judge Juan Merchan expressed concerns that doing so could result in an excessive rise.
The Art Deco-style courthouse, located in lower Manhattan, was constructed approximately 80 years ago. Blanche noted that the occupants were “shaking” and “freezing,” and the judge acknowledged the coldness, stating, “I would rather be real cold than sweating, and, really, those are your choices.”
This week, during the opening statements and testimony from the prosecution’s first witness, ex-National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, the courtroom temperature has been more tolerable. Many reporters have removed their jackets, and at least one has suggested minimizing comments about the temperature to prevent further adjustments by court officers.
However, Trump’s remarks were made before he entered the courtroom for the day on Friday. In this ongoing trial, the former president faces 34 counts of falsifying business records related to payments made to his ex-fixer, Michael Cohen, who had provided hush money to an adult film star who alleged an affair with Trump prior to the 2016 election. Trump has denied the affair and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
