Trump prospective juror excused after raising comparisons between ex-president and disgraced Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi

One of the potential jurors being considered for selection in the New York criminal trial of Donald Trump was excused on Thursday after noting media comparisons between the former president and disgraced Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Berlusconi, who died last year aged 86, was a successful businessman-turned-populist-politician; he was one of the most divisive figures in his home country and often the subject of ridicule on the world stage; mocked for his, he had a manipulative and sometimes combative relationship with the media, and was known for his frequently outrageous and off-colour remarks; but every time he was written off by his critics he seemed to bounce back even stronger.