By the conclusion of the initial week of his criminal trial, Donald Trump exhibited an unprecedented level of frustration. Confined to a well-worn burgundy leather chair for extended periods, devoid of social media distractions or a retinue of associates to engage with, the former president endured the assessments of ordinary New Yorkers.
He faced reprimands from the bench, lamented about the courtroom temperature (“freezing”), and voiced his objections to the gag order on Friday (“They’re infringing on my constitutional right to speak — and that includes addressing you,” he expressed to reporters).
During intervals away from the courtroom, whether posing in front of a display of potato chip bags at a Harlem bodega (“a charming spot,” as he described it) or dining with the Polish president at Trump Tower, Trump persisted in posting online about the trial. He grumbled on his day off, not only about “Stupid Jimmy Kimmel” but also about the jury selection process.
For the first time in months, despite numerous legal challenges in New York and elsewhere, Trump, rather than his adversary President Joe Biden, appeared unsettled, constrained by the judge’s timetable and gag orders as he oscillated between courtroom proceedings and campaign activities.
The prosecution against Trump stemmed not from the White House but from a Democratic prosecutor in New York. While Trump’s theatricality has always been part of his political allure, the courtroom spectacle wasn’t entirely disadvantageous. It garnered incessant media attention, with cameras and reporters documenting his every move to and from the courthouse, surpassing news coverage of Biden and his campaign stops.
However, a pivotal aspect of Trump’s strength has traditionally been his perceived control over situations, operating on his own terms. Yet, it became evident in New York that this is no longer the case, with Trump confined to the courtroom and, on trial days, restricted to campaign events within New York and its vicinity. This limitation is at least impeding Trump’s ability to respond to the unfolding presidential campaign.
While Trump was embroiled in court proceedings, Biden embarked on a three-day tour of the critical swing state of Pennsylvania, addressing issues like taxes and the economy. Biden acknowledged the demands of Trump’s ongoing legal saga, a departure from his usual discourse. The following day, Biden strategically surrounded himself with members of the Kennedy family, who endorsed him, aiming to neutralize the potential third-party threat posed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Trump’s spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, emphasized Trump’s resilience in the face of unprecedented political opposition. Despite pleas from Trump’s advisers to postpone the trial, the opportunity cost became evident this week. As Trump’s campaign sent fundraising appeals linked to the trial, Biden intensified his advertising efforts.
Trump’s public campaigning this week was hampered by the trial, underscoring that much of his trial week, unlike his usual political persona, was beyond his control.
