Staff Reports
Presidential candidate Donald Trump is not one to shy away from the spotlight, even when it comes to his criminal trials. With a slew of court dates coming up next year, Trump is embracing the intense media coverage surrounding his legal battles. He’s been using the publicity from his civil fraud trial in New York to get his message out, and he plans to do the same when his criminal trials begin.
One of the earliest cases, set to begin on March 3 in Washington D.C., is for “election subversion,” a charge that some Democrats, including Adam Schiff, have supported televising. However, there are concerns among some Democrats about giving Trump opportunities to score public sympathy. They worry that his trials could turn into a show trial.
Biden’s Justice Department prosecutor, Jack Smith, is fighting against televising the trial in D.C., arguing that Trump wants to turn it into a “carnival atmosphere.” But Trump’s lawyers argue that the public is entitled to transparency in a high-profile case like this. They claim that Smith has something to hide and that Trump should have the chance to clear his name in the court of public opinion.
In addition to the D.C. trial, Trump is also facing a televised state case for “election subversion” in Georgia. There was a recent bid to move his “hush money” case in New York to federal court, but Trump dropped it, potentially paving the way for a televised trial. While federal cases aren’t typically televised, the prosecution of a former president is far from ordinary.
Throughout all of this, Trump has been defiant, regularly criticizing the judges and prosecutors involved and accusing them of having a political motive. He’s even gone as far as lambasting them during his testimony in his civil fraud case. Despite facing possible jail time and the loss of his business, Trump believes he is only being prosecuted because he poses a threat to Joe Biden’s reelection in 2024. Recent polls have shown skepticism of Biden’s age and dissatisfaction with his job performance, particularly regarding the economy.
In typical Trump fashion, he’s not holding back when it comes to expressing his opinions on the trials against him. He’s making sure his voice is heard and his case is front and center in the media. Love him or hate him, you can’t deny that Trump knows how to command attention, and he’s using that to his advantage.
