Trump: 'Mother Teresa Could Not Beat the Charges'

Judge Juan Merchan gave jurors an hour and 10 minutes of instructions before they began deliberations in Donald Trump's hush-money trial Wednesday morning—and the former president did not sound optimistic afterward. "Mother Teresa could not beat these charges," he told reporters outside the Manhattan courtroom. "But we'll see. We'll see how we do." He complained that the charges "are rigged" and the judge "is so conflicted he can't breathe," the Hill reports.

Trump could be seen muttering, fidgeting, and rifling through papers as Merchan delivered instructions on the 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, the New York Times reports. Merchan reminded jurors that they should "set aside" their personal opinions of Trump and cannot hold his decision not to testify against him. The judge told Trump and his lawyers that they have to stay in the courthouse while the jury is deliberating, the AP reports. "You cannot leave the building," Merchan said. "We need you to be able to get here quickly if we do receive a note." (More Trump hush-money trial stories.)