Trump Hush Money Verdict Is Set to Shape a Summer of Presidential Politics

A jury of five women and seven men in Donald Trump’s hush-money trial is expected to begin this week the historic task of deciding whether to convict a former president, a verdict that could set the tone for an election year that has already turned off many voters.

Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, so far has emerged largely unscathed from his trial on 34 felony charges.

But a conviction would be an ignominious first for a former president, threatening Trump’s standing with some voters and handing President Biden new ammunition to portray his rival as unfit for office. An acquittal—or even a hung jury—could be a career-defining moment for Trump, who likely would cast himself as having vanquished an improper political prosecution.

“The trial has just reaffirmed everyone’s opinion of Trump. His supporters see a rigged system, while his opponents focus on his moral shortcomings,” said Alex Conant, a Republican strategist in Washington.

“So far the trial is just background noise for voters, but if the noise gets loud enough, people will notice.”