If Donald Trump hated today…
Donald Trump clearly didn’t like being in court today for the first day of his first criminal trial, as evidenced by the reports that he fell asleep during the proceedings. During the part where Trump was awake, he apparently got quite upset that the judge wouldn’t commit to giving him the day off for Barron’s graduation ceremony, given that it’s still too far off and it’s difficult to predict where the trial schedule will be by then.
But that’s just the way it goes. This isn’t some political rally, where Trump can dictate the terms of his participation. This isn’t some civil case, where Trump doesn’t have to show up and the worst he can do is lose money. This is a criminal trial.
Trump is standing trial on thirty-four felony counts. Just as he didn’t get to push the trial until past the election like he wanted to, he doesn’t get to choose which days the trial takes place. Nor does he get to choose which of those trial days he has to show up for. That’s all up to the judge, who answers not to Trump, but to the overall legal system. The judge has some other trial with some other defendant after this one is over, and the judge’s responsibility is to keep the calendar going. Defendant Trump doesn’t like it? Tough luck.
If Trump didn’t like how today went, he’s going to hate what comes next. The prosecutor is going to deliver a damning opening argument, and Trump will be forced to sit there silently and take it. Michael Cohen will testify about Trump’s criminal nature, and Trump won’t be able to do anything but pout. Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal will testify about Trump’s bizarre sex life, and Trump will have to sit there silently. If he tries to interrupt, he gets silenced. If he tries to walk out, he gets arrested. No one in the courtroom cares who he used to be.
Today was just the beginning. Procedurally speaking, today was nothing, really. It was just a bunch of procedural motions, along with a jury selection process that’s still getting underway. And yet Trump couldn’t even handle things today. Just wait until this trial gets serious.
