Trump: A pathetic vision in the courtroom
Donald Trump’s criminal trial for allegedly paying hush money to hide an affair has been an interesting ride so far, beginning perhaps most notably with his seemingly incompetent legal team (perhaps intentionally so) who, among other things, argued that they didn’t have time to submit various exhibits and documents despite spending loads of time filing motions to delay the trial and more—and the judge rather generously giving them an extra 24 hours to do what they were supposed to do already. Then arguing that Trump should be freed from attending the trial to be at the Supreme Court hearing to rule on Trump’s claim that he has absolute immunity from criminal prosecution—to which the judge replied that he is a criminal defendant and required to attend the trial, whereas he is not needed at the Supreme Court.
Trump has already violated his gag order, predictably, and may yet have to pay a fine for contempt of court on that.
But it’s more than that. Trump is at his most pathetic now. It seems even his ardent supporters cannot muster the energy to protest his trial publicly.
Moreover, he fell asleep at least once in court, head planted on the table and—I like to imagine—snoring and drooling a big puddle under his cheek.
He has no family or friends in the courtroom, it seems, and his legal team doesn’t even seem to leave him a single team member to keep him company when they speak with the judge at the bench or in private.
He is alone and pathetic. Exactly what he deserves, and exactly what his narcissistic, power-hungry, ignorant ass is at its core. All on display.
It’s delicious, really, to see him finally seeing a courtroom for criminal charges after violating the law so many times as president and in his years running up to becoming the commander-in-chief, and without any of his usual overconfidence hiding even a little what a lost soul he is.
This is the Trump that has been hiding under all the bluster and hiding behind sycophantic fans and a tragically complicit Republican Party.
This is not the point at which I will say Trump is ruined and done for. I will not say that he is finally seeing the end. The Supreme Court could yet rule he cannot be criminally convicted, for one thing. And he is still the Republican candidate for president.
That’s the key thing.
Time and time again, we have seen how he has risen to power and avoided consequences despite blatant and constant lies, childish and cruel behavior, sexual assault, misusing the office of the presidency, and making a mockery of the U.S. political system. He is still the candidate, and despite the lack of MAGA support outside the court and despite the lack of family or friends in the court, Republican voters are going to overwhelmingly vote for the Republican presidential candidate, no matter how dishonest or pathetic or unqualified he is. And I’m sure many “centrist” voters will too, despite President Joe Biden being a centrist who sometimes seems like a low-key Republican at times.
It’s doubtful Trump will see jail time before the election or perhaps even a conviction. And being convicted won’t likely remove him from the ballot even if that happens. The Republicans have chosen him, they are stuck with him, and he still stands a good chance of winning in November.
But all the same, his star continues to dim and his image continues to degrade. No doubt on the campaign trail he will get pumped up on whatever drugs he probably takes before his weird campaign rants—and the MAGA folks will cheer at all the nonsense that spills from his mouth. But he is a shell of what he once was, and even if he wins, this will always be a historical image of him: A sad, lonely, abandoned man who had everything and yet pushed for more no matter how much harm he did to people and to the country.
For that, at least, I can smile a little and be grateful, come what may in November.