Former US President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts in a Manhattan Supreme Court last week in connection with "hush money" payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. However, former Attorney General Bill Barr called it "transparently an abuse of prosecutorial power," and that the indictment had "no merit." He criticised Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's case against Trump as a partisan hit job aimed at strengthening the Democrats' chances of winning the White House in 2024, along with making the Republican party's presidential primary process into a "circus." Moreover, James Trusty, a lawyer on Trump's defense team, said that if the case ever goes to trial, motions would be filed to have it dismissed to undo the "miscarriage of justice."

The Manhattan Supreme Court charged Trump with falsifying business documents on a 2016 "hush money" payment to Daniels-the first indictment of its kind against a US president. Barr also questioned the Manhattan jury's bias as its inhabitants voted 87% in favour of Joe Biden in the last election, which could also affect their judgment.