Trump says criminal trial is having a 'reverse effect,' as he campaigns at New York bodega, vows to save city

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Former President Trump said the criminal trial is having a "reverse effect," during a campaign visit Tuesday evening to an Upper Manhattan bodega, while vowing to "straighten out New York" by working with the Democrat mayor and governor if elected to another term in the White House. 

Trump visited an Upper Manhattan bodega Tuesday evening after spending hours in downtown New York City courtroom for the second day of his criminal trial stemming from charges brought against him by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. 

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump holds a campaign stop at Sanaa convenient store, in the Harlem section of New York City, U.S., April 16, 2024. (REUTERS/Adam Gray)

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The presumptive Republican presidential nominee pleaded not guilty to all charges brought by Bragg. 

But after sitting in a courtroom for more than eight hours of jury selection, Trump made a campaign stop at Sanaa Convenience Store in Upper Manhattan Tuesday evening. Trump was met by a large crowd chanting "Trump, Trump, Trump," "Four more years," and "We love Trump." The crowd was singing the National Anthem. 

Former US President Donald Trump visits a Sanaa convenient store in a Harlem neighborhood after spending his second day of his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affair. (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump blasted the trial and charges against him, saying it is "rigged," "all politics," and "coming out of the [Biden] White House." 

"It makes me campaign locally, and that's okay," Trump said. "We're doing better now than we've ever done, so I think it's having a reverse effect." 

"We're going to come in – Number one, you have to stop crime and we're going to let the police do their job. They have to be given back their authority. They have to be able to do their job," Trump said. "And we're going to come into New York. We're making a big play for New York, other cities, too. But this city, I love this city." 

Trump said New York has "gotten so bad in the last three years, four years." 

"And we're going to straighten New York out. So running for president, we're putting a big hit in New York – we could win New York," Trump said. 

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump holds a campaign stop at Sanaa convenient store, in the Harlem section of New York City, U.S., April 16, 2024. (REUTERS/Adam Gray)

Trump said that "half a million migrants were brought in to take over the parks, they took over your hotels, they take over everything." 

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"They've destroyed so many people. The African-American community now is not getting jobs. Migrants are taking their jobs that are here illegally. Hispanics are not getting jobs. Migrants are taking the jobs," Trump said. "If you look at the unemployment, the unemployment is good for migrants. Now, it went up 10%. All migrants. And they're in our country now. They're coming from prisons. I don't know where you know, they come from mental institutions. They come from prisons. They come from places you don't want to know about." 

Trump, shifting back to his historic criminal trial, again said it is a "Biden trial." 

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump holds a campaign stop at Sanaa convenient store, in the Harlem section of New York City, U.S., April 16, 2024. (REUTERS/Adam Gray)

"They want to keep me off the campaign trail," Trump said. "But based on what I'm doing, I think there's more press here than if I went out to some [other] location." 

Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg arrives at Manhattan criminal court, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in New York. Donald Trump returns to a New York courtroom Tuesday as a judge works to find a panel of jurors who will decide whether the former president is guilty of criminal charges alleging he falsified business records to cover up a sex scandal during the 2016 campaign. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Trump, pointing to law enforcement, said "the police have to be able to do their job." 

"The police in New York are great. They have to be able to do their job. They have to protect these people," Trump said. 

As for crime in New York City, Trump declared: "It's Alvin Bragg's fault. Alvin Bragg does nothing. He goes after guys like Trump who did nothing wrong. Violent criminals, murderers? They know there are there are hundreds of murders all over the city. They know who they are. They don't pick them up. They go after Trump." 

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump holds a campaign stop at Sanaa convenient store, in the Harlem section of New York City, U.S., April 16, 2024. (REUTERS/Adam Gray)

He added: "The people of New York are not going to take it. That's why they're going to vote for Trump." 

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The bodega Trump visited has become known as the "Jose Alba bodega" after the July 2022 incident. Bragg charged Alba with second degree murder. Alba, while working at the bodega, was attacked behind the counter by Austin Simon, who was seen on surveillance video first coming behind the cashier’s desk and attacking him. Despite claiming self-defense, Alba was sent to Riker’s Island prison and initially given $250,000 bail.

Bragg’s office, at the time of the prosecution, faced widespread condemnation for bringing charges against Alba, as footage strongly suggested that Alba grabbed a knife and fatally stabbed his assailant only after he had been attacked first.

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump holds a campaign stop at Sanaa convenient store, in the Harlem section of New York City, U.S., April 16, 2024. (REUTERS/Adam Gray)

Among many other supporters, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton had publicly decried the initial charging decision, saying Alba acted in self-defense to thwart what appeared to be either an attempt on his own life or a robbery in progress. 

Bragg ultimately dropped the murder charge on July 19, 2022. 

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After Trump's remarks Tuesday evening, Bragg's office issued a statement on the bodega incident.

"This matter was resolved nearly two years ago, and the charges were dismissed after a thorough investigation," a spokesperson for the district attorney said. "D.A. Bragg’s top priority remains combating violent crime and the office has worked hand in hand with the NYPD to drive down overall crime in Manhattan, including double digit decreases in homicides and shootings since he took office." 

Trump's visit came after he spent the second day in court for jury selection. Seven jurors had been selected. Court is expected to reconvene on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. 

Bragg charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and maintains that there was no crime and that there should be no trial.