The former president’s appearance at the services for Officer Jonathan Diller will come less than three weeks before jury selection begins in his criminal trial in Manhattan.
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Officer Jonathan Diller was killed after stopping a motorist in Far Rockaway, Queens, just before 6 p.m. on Monday.
Former President Donald J. Trump is planning to attend services this week honoring a New York City police officer who was killed in Queens during a traffic stop on Monday evening, three people familiar with his plans said.
Mr. Trump is expected to appear on Thursday at the wake for Officer Jonathan Diller, a three-year veteran of the New York Police Department who was killed after stopping a motorist in the Far Rockaway neighborhood just before 6 p.m. on Monday. He was 31 and the father of a 1-year-old.
Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s national press secretary, would only say that Mr. Trump “is moved by the invitation to join N.Y.P.D. Officer Jonathan Diller’s family and colleagues as they deal with his senseless and tragic death.”
Mr. Trump’s expected appearance will come less than three weeks before the start of jury selection in his criminal trial in Manhattan. He has been indicted on charges that he falsified business records to cover up hush-money payments to a porn star who was prepared to discuss a past affair with him during the 2016 presidential campaign.
It was unclear how Mr. Trump was connected to the Diller family. But the former president, who has been indicted in three other jurisdictions on a variety of criminal charges, has repeatedly appeared with police officers throughout his 2024 presidential campaign. Many officers seek to take photos with Mr. Trump at political stops after they have helped guard his motorcade.
His visit to Officer Diller’s services is likely to garner intense local media coverage ahead of April 15, when jury selection is set to begin in what may be the only trial that Mr. Trump faces before the general election in November.
Maggie Haberman is a senior political correspondent reporting on the 2024 presidential campaign, down ballot races across the country and the investigations into former President Donald J. Trump. More about Maggie Haberman
William K. Rashbaum is a senior writer on the Metro desk, where he covers political and municipal corruption, courts, terrorism and law enforcement. He was a part of the team awarded the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News. More about William K. Rashbaum
Michael Gold is a political correspondent for The Times covering the campaigns of Donald J. Trump and other candidates in the 2024 presidential elections. More about Michael Gold
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Source: nytimes.com
