In his first campaign stop since his criminal trial began in Manhattan, former President Donald J. Trump visited a Harlem bodega on Tuesday, where he targeted the district attorney who prosecuted him and portrayed himself as tough on crime, a central theme of his Run 2024.
His visit to the store – the scene of a case that sparked political controversy for the Manhattan district attorney when an employee was charged with fatally stabbing a man after a confrontation – made for a startling juxtaposition.
After spending most of the day as a defendant in a Manhattan courtroom, Mr. Trump immediately traveled downtown to criticize both District Attorney Alvin Bragg for being too lenient on crime and his message of “right and order”.
Mr. Trump has tried for months to distinguish between his frequently expressed tough-on-crime stance and the felony charges he faces in four separate cases. Outside the bodega, he again tried to dismiss his allegations as political persecution, arguing that Mr. Bragg was too focused on Mr. Trump’s trial to cover up the 2016 campaign sex scandal and was ignoring crime in the city.
“It’s Alvin Bragg’s fault,” Trump said. “Alvin Bragg doesn’t do anything.”
Although a gag order prevents Mr. Trump from attacking witnesses, prosecutors and jurors in his case in New York, the order does not apply to Mr. Bragg or the judge overseeing his trial.
Before arriving at the bodega, his campaign attacked Mr. Bragg over his handling of the 2022 incident in which Jose Alba, an employee, was charged with second-degree murder after stabbing a man, Austin Simon, during an altercation .
Mr. Bragg and his office were under fire at the time for charging Mr. Alba because surveillance video showed Mr. Simon pushing Mr. Alba, raising questions about whether Mr. Alba had acted in self-defense. Prosecutors ultimately dropped the case, saying they were unable to “prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was unreasonable in his use of deadly physical force.”
At the bodega on Tuesday evening, Mr. Trump met briefly with the store owner and Mr. Alba’s lawyer. He also spoke with Francisco Marte, the founder of the Bodega and Small Business Association, which represents bodegas in New York and which attacked Mr. Bragg in this case.
After their conversation, Mr. Trump repeated criticism of liberal politicians that has become standard campaign themes, portraying Democratic-run cities as rife with crime and attacking their leaders as overly lax and anti-law and order.
Before leaving, Mr. Trump shook hands with a group of uniformed New York police officers and posed for a photo, an uncharacteristic move for many defendants. He often takes photos with police officers at political stops after they help guard his motorcade.
And he reiterated his criticism of President Biden’s handling of the surge of migrants at the border, arguing that the crisis is hurting people of color because migrants are taking their jobs.
That message resonated with some of his supporters who came to catch a glimpse of the former president.
“This is the worst city for all these migrants,” said Lesandra Carrion, 47. She said she believes the border was more secure when Mr. Trump was in office and she doesn’t think Mr. Biden “does anything for this country have done.
And Mr. Trump’s criminal charges, she said, did not worry her, adding that he would win in 2024.
“He’ll do it,” Ms. Carrion said. “It’s all accusations.”
When Mr. Trump arrived at the store, he was greeted by a large crowd, and the surrounding blocks in Harlem were filled with people standing behind police lines hoping to catch a glimpse.
Given that Trump suffered overwhelming defeats in New York, his former home state, in 2016 and 2020, his reaction was, as expected, not entirely positive. A group of protesters also arrived to taunt him, chanting “Drop Trump” and waving signs before his arrival.
Other passersby cursed in frustration as police barricades stretched across a block, blocking access to sidewalks, their homes or the store.
But despite the mixed reaction, Mr. Trump vowed to “make a big effort for New York” and suggested he would make more campaign stops after his court appearances and could easily campaign locally.
Lacretia McNeil, 40, whose daughter sat on her shoulder as she recorded the appearance, said Mr. Trump’s decision to visit Harlem was a smart attempt to “collect the votes.” Her daughter wondered aloud if there was any point in going to a store.
Mr. Trump will be present in the courtroom during the trial, which is expected to last at least six weeks. However, he is expected to hold more events, such as Tuesday’s bodega stop, on the evenings following the court date.
Campaign aides have also been exploring scheduling rallies on Wednesday, when the process is expected to pause each week, and he will most likely continue to hold rallies on weekends.
Bernard Mokam contributed reporting.
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2024-04-17 14:58:52
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