Former President Donald J. Trump Faces Challenges in Manhattan Criminal Courtroom

Former President Donald J. Trump found himself in an unfamiliar position on Tuesday as he was instructed to sit back down in a Manhattan criminal courtroom by Justice Juan M. Merchan. This moment highlighted the lack of control the former president now faces as he navigates the legal proceedings against him.

Accused of falsifying business records to conceal a payoff to a porn star during the 2016 election, Mr. Trump is now a defendant in the People v. Donald J. Trump case at 100 Centre Street. The courtroom environment, with its cold temperatures and mundane routines, stands in stark contrast to the image of strength and power Mr. Trump has sought to project throughout his career.

As he sits through jury selection and listens to prosecutors describe him as a criminal, Mr. Trump is forced to confront a reality where he is not in control. His usual tactics of using social media or news conferences to punch back at insults are no longer available to him in the courtroom.

Despite his efforts to maintain a defiant stance and portray the case as “political lawfare,” Mr. Trump’s advisers are concerned about how he will handle the boredom and lack of activity during the trial. With the possibility of a conviction looming, many in his inner circle fear that the process itself may be as damaging to his image as a guilty verdict.

As Mr. Trump navigates the legal proceedings in the coming weeks, the once-powerful figure now finds himself constrained by the rules and routines of the courtroom, a far cry from the environments he has sought to control throughout his career.