In a bid to boost his campaign to return to the White House, former President Donald Trump adapted his schedule and message, criticizing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's approach to public safety. Trump made these remarks during a visit to a bodega in Harlem on Tuesday while his New York hush money trial was ongoing.

Accusing Democrats of being soft on crime, Trump singled out Bragg by name, echoing his repeated claims that the charges against him are politically motivated. At the bodega, he blamed Bragg for going after individuals like him, who he believes have done nothing wrong, while violent criminals are left unchecked.

The location of the visit, the same bodega where a fatal stabbing took place two years ago, provided a backdrop for Trump to emphasize his concerns about public safety in "crime-ridden" cities governed by Democrats. He made similar claims about crime in Atlanta, as he criticized District Attorney Fani Willis, who is prosecuting him in Georgia.

Trump's visit to the bodega also highlighted the case of Jose Alba, the former clerk who was charged with murder after a fatal stabbing incident. Bragg's office eventually dropped the charges against Alba, citing insufficient evidence to proceed.

Contrary to Trump's rhetoric, statistics from the New York City police indicate that violent crime in the city has been decreasing. Homicides, in particular, showed a 19% decrease compared to the same period in 2023, although there was a surge of 30% in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Crime and public safety are key elements of Trump's campaign pitch, alongside his attacks on President Joe Biden regarding inflation and immigration. However, with his trial underway, Trump has expressed frustration over how his court obligations are affecting his campaign schedule.

While the Biden campaign has refrained from directly commenting on the trial, they have subtly criticized Trump through press releases and have emphasized Biden's active campaigning in battleground states like Pennsylvania. Biden, in particular, criticized Trump for supporting tax cuts on the wealthy and labeled him as an embodiment of the failure of trickle-down economics.

Despite his trial, Trump remains determined to campaign extensively on weekends, holding rallies in various locations. Trump has claimed that his trial interferes with the election process, describing it as "election interference."

As jury selection proceeds, Trump expressed his preference for jurors who are fair, but reserved judgment on the seven jurors selected thus far. He evaded questions about their fairness and argued against the need for a jury in the first place.

Regarding a recent GOP effort to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson, Trump offered little comment, stating that he believes Johnson to be a "very good person."

Trump's trial, in which he faces 34 counts of falsifying business records related to payments made to Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential bid, continues with jury selection underway. Trump maintains his plea of not guilty.

As the trial progresses, the former president continues to assert his innocence while criticizing the Manhattan DA and the broader Democratic Party's stance on crime and public safety.