Former President Donald Trump is facing a nightmare scenario as he is barred from retaliating against criticism during his ongoing trial. According to a biographer, Trump’s inability to hit back while witnesses disparage him is his ‘worst nightmare’.
Trump, who is aiming for a return to the White House by challenging Joe Biden later this year, is used to basking in the adoration of cheering crowds. However, for the next few weeks, he will have no control over the narrative as a gag order prevents him from publicly addressing many aspects of the case, under the threat of possible jail time.
Tim O’Brien, the author of ‘TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald’, commented, ‘He’s the object of derision. It’s his nightmare. He can’t control the script. He can’t control the cinematography. He can’t control what’s being said about him. And the outcome could go in a direction he really doesn’t want.’
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While Trump occasionally faces protesters, his daily life is generally shielded from any form of criticism. After leaving the White House, he retreated to his Mar-a-Lago waterfront club in Palm Beach, Florida, where he is surrounded by supportive paid staff and members who pay to be near him.
Stephanie Grisham, a longtime aide who parted ways with Trump after the January 6 storming of the Capitol, described how Trump is usually ‘swarmed by people wanting to shake his hand, take pictures of him, and tell him how amazing he is’.
However, Trump’s current situation is vastly different. He faces a trial that could result in felony convictions and possible prison time. He will have to endure hearing more critics without being able to verbally retaliate, something he typically revels in doing.
Expected witnesses in the trial include his former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, and the adult film actress, Stormy Daniels, who alleged she had an affair with him. Both have been openly critical of Trump in interviews, books, and on social media.
The trial, taking place in Manhattan state court, involves charges that Trump falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence Stormy Daniels in 2016. New Yorkers who couldn’t approach the case fairly were excused during jury selection. However, one woman, who has been a resident of upper Manhattan for the last 15 years, expressed strong negative opinions about Trump.
‘I don’t like his persona, how he presents himself in public,’ she said. ‘He just seems very selfish and self-serving, so I don’t really appreciate that in any public servant.’
Trump’s legal team raised objections to her responses, but they had exhausted their challenges by the time she was up for consideration.
The judge, Juan Manuel Merchan, has kept the names of prospective jurors confidential due to safety concerns. During jury selection, social media posts critical of Trump were read aloud, and several prospective jurors were dismissed due to their opinions about him.
Trump is required to be present throughout the trial and is prohibited from storming out of the courtroom or attacking any jurors, including on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Despite the challenges, not all assessments of Trump within the courthouse were negative. Surprisingly, many potential jurors expressed having no strong opinions about the former president.
