This is a special edition of Opinion Today on Donald Trump's hush-money trial, featuring insights from contributors to The Point, Opinion's blog. Today, Jonathan Alter reports from inside the courthouse.
As a kid, Donald Trump was "a brat," according to his sister Judge Maryanne Trump Barry. He pelted rocks at other toddlers and was sent to a military academy for being disobedient. Ever since, he has listened to no one about anything. Until now. A big theme of the first week of his criminal trial is that Trump had to sit in a dingy New York courtroom he despises and listen as prospective jurors (who were not selected) trashed him. On Thursday he was called a "racist, sexist narcissist," "unchristian," "evil" and more. On Friday he heard a social media post from a few years ago describing his "egomaniac, sociopathic incompetence," with one of his many critics concluding, "I do believe that he was the devil." He was trapped, unable to use the remote to change the channel to Fox News. This was followed by lawyers arguing about which of his many lies and rebukes from judges and juries in earlier cases are admissible.
Justice Juan Merchan will rule Monday on how much of the detritus from Trump's past can be used on cross-examination if Trump makes the foolish but still conceivable decision to take the stand. This could include the E. Jean Carroll civil case (where Trump was found liable for sexual assault); the smack-down from the bench when he filed a frivolous suit against Hillary Clinton; the judicial finding that he breached his duties by allowing his campaign to grab $2.8 million from his now-shuttered charity; and certain key parts of Michael Cohen's testimony. In the meantime, Trump had to sit still while the judge tongue-lashed his harried lawyers for the obnoxious strategy of delay he insists they continue to pursue. "The defense is targeting my decisions one by one by one," Merchan said. "That has to end. … There comes a point where you have to accept my rulings. There's nothing else to clarify. Nothing else to argue. We are starting this trial Monday morning." Trump thought this was his excuse to leave and violate courtroom protocol by standing up. He was sorely mistaken. "Sir, would you please have a seat?" Merchan calmly told the former president. Trump quickly sat down like the obedient little boy he never was. He is accustomed to ending meetings when he wants to, or stalking out when he feels like it. Those days are over for him, at least until summer. More on Trump's trial:
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Friday, April 19, 2024
Opinion: Trump is trapped with his past
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