In his first campaign suspension since the start of his criminal trial in Manhattan, former President Donald J. Trump visited a Harlem wine farm on Tuesday, where he launched a scathing attack on the district attorney prosecuting him. , demonstrating a tough stance against crime, which is a central theme of the presidential election. His run in 2024.
His visit to the store, the scene of a confrontation in which an employee was charged with stabbing a man to death and which sparked a political controversy for the Manhattan district attorney, brought about a surprising juxtaposition.
After spending much of the day in a Manhattan courtroom as a criminal defendant, Trump quickly moved uptown to criticize District Attorney Alvin Bragg for being too lenient on crime and appear on “Law and Order.” emphasized the message.
Trump has for months sought to distinguish between his frequently expressed tough-on-crime stance and the felonies he faces in four separate cases. Outside the warehouse, Mr. Bragg again tried to dismiss the charges as political persecution, claiming he was too focused on the 2016 sex scandal cover-up trial of Mr. Trump’s campaign and was ignoring crime in the city. .
“It’s Alvin Bragg’s fault,” Trump said. “Alvin Bragg doesn’t do anything.”
Mr. Trump is prevented by a gag order from attacking witnesses, prosecutors and jurors in the New York case, but the order does not apply to Mr. Bragg or the judge overseeing his trial. .
Before Bragg arrived at the warehouse, the campaign attacked him over his handling of the 2022 incident. In that case, store employee Jose Alba stabbed the man, Austin Simon, during an argument and was charged with second-degree murder.
Mr Bragg and his firm were criticized at the time for prosecuting Mr Alba, as CCTV footage showed Mr Simon pushing Mr Alba, raising questions about whether Mr Alba had acted in self-defense. occured. Prosecutors ultimately dropped the case, saying they could not “prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant’s use of deadly physical force was not justified.”
On Tuesday night, Mr. Trump met briefly with the store’s owner and Mr. Alba’s attorney at the store. He also spoke with Francisco Marte, founder of the Bodega and Small Business Association, which represents New York bodegas and has attacked Mr. Bragg over the incident.
After the meeting, Trump repeated criticisms of liberal politicians that have become a staple of his campaign, portraying Democratic-run cities as full of crime and with leaders too lax and contrary to law and order. It attacked when there was one.
Before departing, Trump shook hands and posed for photos with uniformed New York police officers, an unusual move for many criminal defendants. He often takes photos at political stops with police officers who help guard his motorcade.
And he reiterated his criticism of President Biden’s response to the surge of migrants at the border, arguing that the crisis is hurting people of color because immigrants are taking jobs.
The message resonated with some supporters who came to see the former president.
“This is the worst city for immigrants,” said Lesandra Carrion, 47. She said she believes the border was safer when Trump was president and doesn’t think Biden has “done anything for this country.”
He also said he was not worried about Trump’s criminal charges, adding that Trump will win in 2024.
“He’s going to win it,” Carrion said. “It’s all suspicion.”
Trump was greeted by a large crowd when he arrived outside the store, with people lining the blocks around Harlem standing behind police barricades to get a glimpse.
Not surprisingly, given Trump’s crushing defeats in his former home state of New York in 2016 and 2020, his reception was not always positive. A group of protesters also arrived to heckle him, chanting “throw away Trump” and waving placards before he arrived.
Other passersby cursed in frustration as police barricades stretched across the block, blocking easy access to sidewalks, apartments and shops.
Still, despite the mixed reaction, Trump vowed to “make a big play for New York” and suggested he would further suspend his campaign after his court appearance and could easily campaign locally. did.
LaCrecia McNeil, 40, whose daughter sat on her shoulder while taping the appearance, said Trump’s decision to visit Harlem was a smart move “to get votes.” Her daughter wondered aloud about her point in visiting her store.
Trump is expected to be present in court during the trial, which is expected to last at least six weeks. But he is expected to hold more events, such as a stop at a bodega on Tuesday night after court.
He is likely to continue holding weekend rallies, with campaign aides considering planning a rally on Wednesday, when the trial is expected to take a weekly break.
bernard mocam Contributed to the report.
