Alvin Bragg Gets Bad News About Donald Trump's Trial

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg received some bad news about former President Donald Trump's ongoing criminal trial, according to the results of a new poll.

On Monday, The New York Times published the findings of a poll it conducted alongside The Philadelphia Inquirer and Siena College, which asked respondents about Trump's criminal trial where he is accused of falsifying business records over hush money payments to former adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016.

The poll asked respondents if they think Trump will be convicted in the trial and found 52 percent saying it was unlikely, with 27 percent saying "somewhat unlikely" and 25 percent saying "very unlikely."

On the other hand, 35 percent said it was likely that Trump would be convicted with 14 percent saying "very likely" and 21 percent saying "somewhat likely."

The poll found 50 percent of respondents saying that they do not think Trump will receive "a fair and impartial trial" in New York. According to the poll, 45 percent disagreed and said they think the former president will get a fair trial.

The results of the poll come as Trump's criminal trial in Manhattan entered its fifth week on Monday, with testimony from the former president's ex-lawyer, Michael Cohen. In April 2023, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Trump "fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal crimes that hid damaging information—including a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels—from the public during the 2016 presidential campaign." Trump has pleaded not guilty to the 34 felony criminal charges against him.

Newsweek reached out to Bragg's office via email for comment.

The former president has denied any wrongdoing in the case, saying that it should be dismissed and criticizing New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the case.

In April, Trump called for the criminal trial to be moved out of New York City, arguing that he didn't believe he'd receive a fair trial.

"Very unfair venue, with some areas that voted 1% Republican. This case should be moved to nearby Staten Island—would be a very fair and secure location for the trial," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social last month.

During the 2020 election, U.S. President Joe Biden defeated Trump in Manhattan, with the current president winning 87 percent of the vote to Trump's 12 percent, as well as in the Bronx (83 to 16 percent), Brooklyn (77 to 22 percent) and Queens (72 to 27 percent).

Newsweek's Katherine Fung, who has been inside the courtroom, reported on Monday that Cohen testified that he began working for the former president after he was introduced to Trump by his son, Donald Trump Jr.

Eventually, Cohen was offered a position "whereby I would only answer to him," as Trump's executive vice president and special counsel," Fung reported.