Former President Donald Trump has claimed that his criminal trial in Manhattan has prevented him from campaigning in key swing states, such as Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. However, a review of his activities over the trial’s first four weeks shows that he has done little campaign travel and held few public campaign events on days off from court. Instead, he spent most of his 12 court-free days at his properties in New York, New Jersey, and Florida, without visiting the states he claimed he was being prevented from campaigning in.
During his trial, which is not in session on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, Trump had 12 court-free days to do as he pleased, compared to 15 days where he was required in court. On seven of these 12 court-free days, he held no public events, and on eight days, there were no public events if a brief appearance before a private meeting was excluded. Despite claiming he was unable to campaign in certain swing states due to the trial, Trump did not visit Pennsylvania, Georgia, South Carolina, Ohio, or New Hampshire during any of his off days.
Although Trump has done some campaign travel during his trial, including holding rallies in Wisconsin and Michigan and making appearances in New Jersey and North Carolina, the majority of his off days have passed without him holding any public campaign events. Instead, he has spent time golfing, attending fundraising events, making phone calls, and holding meetings. He has also turned the hallways outside the Manhattan courtroom into a de facto campaigning venue, regularly speaking to media cameras before and after court sessions.
His complete itinerary during the off days is not fully known, but it is clear that Trump has not been as actively campaigning in swing states as he has claimed to be prevented from doing due to his trial. Despite his assertions, he has spent a significant amount of time at his properties and holding private meetings, rather than visiting the states he has claimed he is unable to campaign in. Trump’s trial schedule has allowed for some campaign travel, but the majority of his off days have been spent without public campaign events.
From April 15 to May 11, Trump’s schedule during the trial included court appearances, off days spent golfing, attending fundraisers, and making appearances in New York City and Florida. While he has held some campaign rallies and appearances during the trial, his overall campaign activity has been limited compared to his claims of being prevented from campaigning in key swing states. The evidence suggests that Trump has not maximized his time during the trial to campaign in the states he has repeatedly claimed he is being kept from visiting.
