DONALD TRUMP TESTS THE AMERICAN LEGAL SYSTEM TO THE LIMIT

Trump, facing multiple legal battles, receives special treatment while openly undermining the rule of law, raising concerns about the justice system’s integrity.

- JOHN DOBSON

“I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose any voters”, said Donald Trump in Iowa before the 2006 presidential election that brought him to power. Trump later claimed it was a joke, but many saw this as an early indication that, unlike ordinary mortals, Donald Trump considers himself above the law. Fast forward to today and as Trump’s legal problems build up to a crescendo, law experts in the US are astonished by the special treatment he is receiving, even though he denigrates prosecutors, openly vilifies judges and their families, and lies about his cases. “I can’t imagine any other defendant posting on social media about a judge’s family and not being very quickly incarcerated”, said Russell Gold, a law professor at the University of Alabama, adding “his ongoing efforts to impugn the integrity of the legal proceedings against him make a strong argument for his detention.”

In recent months a series of judges have been forced to reckon with the ex-president’s arrogant behaviour. Donald Trump pretends to be furious when called to account for his actions and is openly disdainful of the rule of law, but secretly sees political advantage in provoking sanctions on himself. He considers the indictments as “badges of honour”, telling his supporters “I am doing this for you. I am your voice. I am your warrior. I am your justice.” The curious thing is that many voters are duped into believing every word he says and subsequently his poll ratings have soared. Analysts have concluded that if judges give Trump too much latitude, he undermines the standing of the US criminal justice system; if they act too forcefully, they end up rewarding his worst behaviour.