Former U.S. President Donald Trump is set to become the first American president to face a criminal jury when his trial begins in Manhattan on Monday. The charges involve alleged hush-money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal. These charges are linked to accusations that Trump violated election laws by suppressing information potentially harmful to his 2016 campaign.

The Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, has charged Trump with falsifying business records to hide the true purpose of the payments made through his attorney, Michael Cohen, who reportedly paid the women to prevent them from publicizing their claims of affairs with Trump. These payments were allegedly reimbursed by Trump through what were described as legal fees.

The trial will examine not only the payments to Daniels and McDougal but also related activities, including alleged efforts by AMI, the publisher of the National Enquirer, to suppress McDougal’s story. Additionally, the case references an incident where a doorman was reportedly paid to keep quiet about a child Trump allegedly fathered.

Trump faces 34 counts in this case, with potential penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment, though legal experts suggest severe prison time is unlikely, pointing instead to possible fines or probation. The trial mandates Trump’s presence in court each day, with proceedings scheduled to exclude Wednesdays and weekends.

Apart from this case, Trump is also dealing with charges related to the 2021 Capitol riots, mishandling classified documents, and attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. These additional legal challenges could significantly impact his political future and public image.

As the trial progresses, Trump has declared his innocence and criticized the proceedings as a politically motivated “witch hunt.” His legal team has attempted to delay the trial and has suggested making Trump available to testify. Meanwhile, reactions to the trial have been sharply divided, with some commentators and political figures asserting that the trial is unfairly targeted at Trump, influenced by political bias, and a threat to his re-election campaign efforts.