His head dropped to his chest several times, before jerking back upwards. Was it a sign that the 77-year-old defendant is as doddery as President Joe Biden, his 81-year-old rival? Or was SleepyDonald attempting the ultimate "baller" move by showing his disdain for the courtroom proceedings? He seemed surprisingly relaxed about making legal history.
Opponents of Trump are cock-ahoop that he is finally facing justice.
They claim he is being held to the same legal standards as any other private citizen. But does anybody suppose Trump would be in court today over alleged "hush money" payments to the porn star Stormy Daniels as long ago as 2016 if he were not running for re-election this year? Guilty or not, it seems very unlikely.
Those who are eagerly predicting Trump's downfall should beware: there is a fair to middling chance he will escape conviction. A legal victory would thrill his supporters and turbocharge his campaign to win over Republican and independent waverers. If the judgement goes against him, he could still win in the court of public opinion. Whatever happens, there is no chance he is going to jail.
It is far better for the Democrats to pound Trump on policy issues, rather than to place their faith in the vagaries of "lawfare". At the very moment that Biden has been rising in the polls, Trump is getting wall-to-wall coverage of his legal travails. According to a new AP/Norc poll, 35 percent of respondents think Trump did nothing illegal. A further 31 percent believe he behaved unethically but not illegally by paying off Daniels.
Trump insists he is the victim of a show trial, the first of four criminal cases against him. Outside the courtroom, he glowered, "It's a scam trial.
It's a political witch hunt." He added, "This is about election interference," because attending court will prevent him from being out on the campaign stump.
Bu hikaye Evening Standard dergisinin April 17, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Evening Standard dergisinin April 17, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Only £65k a month to live like Boy George
The Karma Chameleon singer listed his house for £17m in 2022, turning down offers. Now, he's looking for a tenant
Welcome to London, unicorn capital of Europe
We're flying far ahead of anywhere outside US for tech investment
Arteta's Arsenal evolution The next phase
Malik Ouzia and Simon Collings assess how the Spaniard will try to bring down Man City after he signs up for another three years with the title in his sights
Title fight catches fire after Gunners embrace dark side
Arsenal-City clashes take on a welcome edge of animosity
Whack the hippy gong-boho's back
It happened in Paris one grey February day. Sienna Miller was in an oversized, black leather jacket, lace-trimmed silk slip and clumpy great wedges.
There's a Starlink waiting in the sky... 7,000 in fact.Can Elon Musk stop them crashing to Earth?
As he was preparing his fields for seeding this year, Barry Sawchuk came across a giant slab of space debris. It had come from a spacecraft belonging to Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX.
'Politicians are only into power-mongering, corruption and cronyism'
We speak to alt revolutionary DEEPAK CHOPRA about biomarkers, his digital twin and his work to save humanity from disease
I've been waiting for a production of Godotthis brilliant all my life
Ben Whishaw and Lucian Msamati bring a potent, tragicomic chemistry to James Macdonald’s rich revival of Samuel Beckett’s challenging play.
Trust me, the Ritz is London's bestrestaurant
To whom we turn in moments of gloom and glory can be instructive, a filter of our truest friends. I've fallen out with the Ritz a couple of times, including once after a visit to the bar which didn’t warrant a review (“But you said it was lovely!” they said.
'Healing is a dirty word'
After four traumatic years, FKA twigs is back with a new album -and a thrilling metamorphosis