During Harlem bodega visit, Trump says criminal trial is having a ‘reverse effect,’ on his campaign

Fox News reported on Tuesday on President Trump's comments that his New York criminal "hush money" trial is having a "reverse effect" on the Presidential race. Trump made the remarks during a campaign stop on Tuesday evening at an Upper Manhattan bodega, vowing to "straighten out New York" by working with the Democrat mayor and governor if re-elected.

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.

As reported by The Associated Press, the bodega that Trump visited in Harlem had significance. "In July 2022, Jose Alba, a clerk at [Sanaa Convenience Store] in Hamilton Heights, a heavily Hispanic section of Harlem, was attacked by 35-year-old Austin Simon.

The resulting altercation, captured on surveillance video, ended with Alba fatally stabbing Simon. Alba, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, was arrested and charged with murder but the Manhattan district attorney dropped the charges within weeks, saying they could not prove Alba had not acted in self-defense."

President Trump generally chooses his public appearance stops with intention, and as usual, he was met with a supportive crowd upon his arrival.

While visiting the bodega, a large crowd chanted "Trump, Trump, Trump," "Four more years," and "We love Trump." They also sang the National Anthem. 

Trump dubbed the witch hunt trial and charges against him as "rigged," 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." 

"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." 

"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.