Trump jurors reveal what they think of the ex-president as court tries desperately to find 12 'impartial' candidates

The Manhattan District Attorney insisted that Donald Trump's criminal trial was not a 'popularity contest' and urged potential jurors to put personal politics aside as he addressed them for the first time.

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass told 18 candidates that sufficiently answered 42 questions to make it to the jury box that 'everyone and their mother' has opinion on the hush-money case.

As the brutal selection process dragged into the second day, potential jurors revealed what they thought about the president.

One praised Trump for being able to 'speak his mind' while another admitted she was a fan of the Apprentice in middle school.

They all tried to make the case that they could be 'impartial' and give the former president a fair trial. 

Steinglass spoke to the would-be jury members who hadn't been sent home after Trump arrived at court and attacked the judge, after he was warned he would be jailed if he was disruptive.

He asked them if they were prepared to 'look the defendant (Trump) in the eye and say he was guilty'. 

The Manhattan District Attorney insisted that Donald Trump's criminal trial was not a 'popularity contest' and urged potential jurors to put personal politics aside as he addressed them for the first time

The ex-president is on thin ice with his outbursts and social media posts after a judge scheduled a hearing to hold him in contempt later this month.

Trump glared at each member of the jury as they were peppered with questions by prosecutors.

He has pleaded not guilty to falsifying business records over a $160,000 payment to cover up an alleged affair with porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.

At least eight jurors were sent home on Tuesday morning, including Kara McGee who was excused because it conflicted with work. 

She admitted she didn't like Trump, but he still deserved a fair trial. 

By lunchtime on Tuesday, 18 who answered questions from an 'exhaustive' list remained.

When questioned by Trump's lead attorney Todd Blanche, a man from Puerto Rico said of Trump: 'I find him fascinating

'He walks into a room and he sets people off and I find that really interesting.

'One guy can do all this. Wow. He makes things interesting.

'So many people are set off one way or the other. That’s interesting.'

One older white-haired woman with small black glasses became animated, speaking without the microphone, when it came to the question of whether or not Trump testifies.

'If he decides not to speak, … that’s your right, you can’t presume that makes him guilty,' she said, waving her hand for emphasis.

'It’s really, the prosecutor is the one that has to present those facts and prove them, but as I said, he has the right not to say them.”

At the end of her somewhat impassioned speech, Blanche said, 'I don’t think I could have said it better myself.'

'Let's talk about the obvious,' Steinglass said. 'The defendant is both a former president and candidate for that office.

'This case has nothing to do with your personal politics,' he insisted. 'It's not a referendum' on the Trump presidency. 'This case is about whether this man broke the law. 

With a heavy dose of understatement, Steinglass also told the court that several witnesses in the case ‘have some baggage’ and that one was a tabloid publisher and another was an adult film star.

The jury questionnaire for Trump hush money trial

The court faces a monumental task of trying to seat 12 Manhattan residents who can be 'impartial' and 'fair' in the first trial of a former president in history

He spoke to the would-be jury members who hadn't been sent home after Trump arrived at court and attacked the judge, after he was warned he would be jailed if he was disruptive

Trump aide Margo Martin walks into court on the second day of jury selection

Martin was followed into court by another Trump staffer Natalie Harp 

Then there was Michael Cohen who had ‘pled guilty to several federal crimes including lying to Congress’.

Trump shook his head in frustration when Steinglass said that some witnesses had written books and done podcasts and ‘publicly denied’ many of the matters they were going to testify to in the trial.

Trump’s frustration appeared to be aimed at Cohen, who he has repeatedly called a liar.

Steinglass said that the case was ‘not a referendum on whether you like the witnesses’.

‘Can you separate believability from likability?’ he said. Nobody in the jury said that was an issue.

Steinglass said he was going to ‘go down the line, take a look at the defendant and look inside yourself’ and ask if they could render a verdict of guilty if that was their decision.

Many more jurors were sent home on Tuesday morning, including Kara McGee who was excused because it conflicted with work. She admitted she didn't like Trump, but he still deserved a fair trial

Donald Trump attends the second day of jury selection in his hush money case

Before taking his seat, Trump addressed a small pool of journalists on the 15th floor

Donald Trump & Stormy Daniels in 2006. He has denied 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide a $130,000 payment to the porn star to keep her quiet about their alleged affair

Donald Trump and former Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal who will feature in the case

Trump stared intently in the direction of the jury as they did so. All of them indicated they could.

After the ex-president's outburst outside court, Trump let off steam by winking at a court official and asking 'How are you?' before taking his seat.

Hundreds of potential jurors have been assembled and are being quizzed on whether they can be impartial.

Judge Merchan has called the list of 42 questions potential jurors are having to answer, including what news outlets they tune into, 'by far the most exhaustive questionnaire' ever used in a court case.

On day two a potential juror revealed they had read three of Trump's books.

The discolure caused Trump, who had been stony-faced, to break out into a broad smile.

The man said he had read 'Art of the Deal' and How to be Rich and then struggled over the name of ‘Think Like a Champion’.

When he got it right Trump nodded in approval.

Earlier, outside the court, Trump raged: 'I was paying a lawyer and marked it down as legal expenses account. Some accountant - I didn't know - marked it down as a legal expense. That's exactly what it was. And you get indicted over that?

'I should be right now in Pennsylvania in Florida, in many other states North Carolina, Georgia, campaigning.

This is all coming from the Biden White House because the guy can't put two sentences together. He can't campaign. They're using this in order to try and win an elect. And it's not working.'

Trump arrived in court wearing a dark blue suit, a blue shirt and a blue tie, a change from his usual bright red tie.

After entering the courtroom he sat at a table with his lawyers and looked forward, tilting his head from side to side and appearing impassive.