‘I’m Worried About Their Safety’: Ex-Federal Prosecutor Concerned Trump Trial Jurors Are Being ‘Outed’

A former federal prosecutor said he is concerned about the safety of jurors in Donald Trump’s criminal case in Manhattan because of the attention they are receiving in the media.

Jury selection began on Monday. Once impaneled, jurors will hear testimony and view evidence before determining whether the former president falsified business records to conceal hush money payments to cover up extramarital affairs he had before the 2016 election. He has pleaded not guilty to all 34 felony counts.

TV news stations and other media have followed the trial very closely and have been analyzing individual juror profiles. In one jarring instance, a Washington Post reporter provided a little too much information about a potential juror by noting the person’s profession while naming the small, independent business where the person works.

On Tuesday’s edition of CNN’s The Situation Room, Wolf Blitzer asked former federal prosecutor Ankush Khardori about the jurors’ states of mind. Khardori used the opportunity to express concern for the jurors’ well-being:

BLITZER: What’s going through the minds of these jurors right now?”

KHARDORI: I have some thoughts about the jury’s position here. First of all, I imagine it’s somewhat surreal, right? To be selected. I am wondering if some of them are a little unhappy with the amount of information that is being made public about them. Now, this is not the fault of the media. I wanna be very clear about this. Responsibility to guard all of the very specific information that we’re learning resides with the D.A.’s office and with the judge.

I’m a little surprised that we are learning all of this because I do not think this jury is gonna remain anonymous necessarily if they keep this up

BLITZER: You’re worried about their safety?

KHARDORI: Yeah, I’m worried about their safety. I mean, it’s up to them if they want to write a book after all this is said and done, but that’s their option. They shouldn’t be outed this way. They’re not supposed to be outed this way.

Watch above via CNN.