According to an analysis by the New York Times, Trump’s attempt to transform his court appearance into a media spectacle flopped. Focus instead went to the judges’s stringent interrogation of Trump’s legal team and their apparently unconvincing arguments.
Putting on a Show
Some of Trump’s previous court appearances have practically shut down the courtroom as vast crowds of supporters and critics attempted to see the former president. Trump has taken to delivering his thoughts as soon as he steps outside the courtroom.
Adding to the Campaign
Trump’s actions, according to CBS News, have “fused courtroom appearances into stump stops.” Before his first trial in New York, in October, Trump railed against what he called “the single greatest witch hunt of all time.”
Gaining Sympathy
“There was no crime,” Trump insisted to the media waiting outside the New York courtroom. “The crime is against me.” The backdrop of the legal system allows Trump to more effectively portray himself as an embattled victim to his supporters. Doing that, in turn, helps him “propel his popularity and his fundraising,” according to Sky News.
Tough Crowd
However, Trump’s Tuesday appearance in federal appeals court apparently presented fewer opportunities for such grandstanding. Cameras are banned inside federal courthouses, preventing Trump from putting on his usual show.
No Performance
Trump remained silent throughout the proceedings, and did not address any of the reporters present in the courthouse. He entered and exited through a back entrance.
Nearby Spot
Nevertheless, Trump did make an appearance at the nearby Waldorf Astoria Hotel, formerly Trump International Hotel. He repeated his insistence that he’d done no wrong, saying that “as president, you have immunity.”
Dark Warning
He also warned that there would be “bedlam” if his immunity argument was not upheld. “It’s the opening of a Pandora’s box,” he said.
Attempted Intimidation
“It’s hard to imagine anything more damaging to one’s prospects in a case,” the LA Times noted, “than attempting to intimidate the judges considering it.”
Stolen Spotlight
The three judges doing the questioning on Tuesday were similarly unimpressed with Trump’s arguments. “I think it’s paradoxical to say that [Trump’s] constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed allows him to violate the criminal law,” said Judge Karen L. Henderson, a Republican.
Hypothetical Assassination
Trump’s legal team caused a stir when they argued that presidential immunity would even cover the assassination of a political rival. If this hypothetical president was not first impeached and convicted by the Senate for the offense, Trump’s team argued, they should not be prosecuted.
Poor Show
If Trump was “hoping to turn the appearance to his political advantage,” the New York Times concluded, “the effort fell a little flat.”
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