Trump trial summary: 'Conspiracy theorist' dies by self-immolation as witness in hush money case is scheduled to testify

From porn stars and Playboy models to a lawyer-turned-felon and a supermarket tabloid publisher, the cast of characters in the first criminal trial against a former president could not be more diverse.

Ahead of Monday's opening arguments in Donald Trump's hush money lawsuit, here's everything you need to know.

Disgraced former congressman George Santos surprised reporters and onlookers on Thursday by appearing outside the courtroom where Donald Trump is undergoing his criminal trial.

Mr. Santos was passing by on his way to another event: a hearing in his own case against late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel.

“Today is a big day,” Santos said in a selfie video posted to X on Thursday. “I'm actually suing Jimmy Kimmel in federal court for fraud.”

The hearing was held in Manhattan federal court, just a few blocks from Trump's courtroom.

The former congressman claims that Kimmel was tricked into making more than a dozen videos on Cameo, a mobile app where people can pay for personalized videos of celebrities, and that Kimmel was tricked into making more than a dozen videos on Cameo, a mobile app that allows people to pay for personalized videos of celebrities, and that Kimmel appeared on his show “Jimmy Kimmel.” Live!''.

Santos sued him in February, accusing him of copyright infringement, fraudulent solicitation, breach of contract and unjust enrichment.

A teacher, two lawyers and a financial professional are among the 12 jurors tasked with hearing the first-ever criminal trial against a U.S. president.

As former President Donald Trump continues to insist on election security, the Trump campaign announced it will prepare 100,000 poll watchers and lawyers for Election Day.

Trump tried to overturn the 2020 election by citing baseless allegations of fraud by Democrats, but he is also making similarly unsubstantiated claims about what Democrats will do this November. Even in 2016, Trump claimed that his loss to Hillary Clinton in the popular vote was solely due to fraud.

The Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee (RNC) announced in a statement Friday that they are launching “the largest and most monumental election integrity program in our nation's history.”

Max Azzarello, 37, who died after self-immolating outside a Manhattan courthouse, recently began posting anti-establishment “conspiracy theories” online.It included long articles on Substack criticizing corrupt politicians and billionaires; simpsons.

The manifesto-style document warned of an impending “apocalyptic fascist world coup.”

Donald Trump took to Truth Social to complain about the gag order in New York criminal court, claiming it violates the First Amendment.

The former president said the gag order prevents him from speaking about “the most important topics,” including Judge Juan Melchan's “totally disqualifying conflicts of interest.” The Ethics Committee has already determined that there is no disqualification.

After a long day in court, Trump called the case against him a “witch hunt” and falsely said, “Almost every legal scholar and expert says 'there is no case.'” did.

Trump's baseless attacks on the case and the judge are expected to continue during the trial, which is expected to last up to two months.

Police say the man who self-immolated outside the Manhattan courthouse where Donald Trump's trial is being held has died.

Maxwell Azzarello, a 37-year-old man from Florida, “was pronounced dead by hospital personnel,” police told NBC News.

Azzarello, a self-described “investigative researcher,” posted a conspiratorial manifesto online shortly before the incident.

In one shocking scene, he threw newsletters and other pamphlets with links to Substack into the air, then poured fuel on his body and attempted to self-immolate.

“This extreme protest is meant to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery: that we are victims of a totalitarian fraud and that our own government (along with many of our allies) has committed an apocalyptic is about to attack us with a fascist global coup,” he wrote in part of his manifesto on his Substack page.

The man who self-immolated outside the Manhattan courthouse where Donald Trump was being tried is now revealed to be a self-proclaimed “investigative researcher” who posted a conspiratorial manifesto online shortly before the attack. found.

Maxwell Azzarello, 37, from Florida, has shared a series of conspiracy theories on his social media accounts in recent months, in which he rails against the rich and powerful, saying, “Our only goal is… “Abolish the criminal government.” .

On Friday afternoon, just minutes after the final jury was selected in the former president's criminal case, Azzarello self-immolated outside the Collect Pond Park courtroom.

He is currently hospitalized at Weill Cornell Medical Burn Center in Manhattan in critical condition, police said.

Less than an hour before his self-immolation, he slammed corruption in the U.S. government in a manifesto-style document posted on Substack. Independent.

In it, Azzarello describes himself as an “investigative researcher” and says the act of self-immolation is “an extreme act of protest” against “totalitarian fraud” and about an impending “apocalyptic fascist global coup.” He said he had warned him.

“To my friends and family, witnesses, and first responders, I am deeply sorry for causing such pain. But it is a drop in the bucket compared to what our government intends. I guarantee you,” he wrote.