The former President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, found himself in an unfamiliar position in a Manhattan criminal courtroom as he sat as the defendant in a case that he finds “repellent.” Accused of falsifying business records to conceal a payoff to a porn star during the 2016 election, Mr. Trump is facing a personal and acutely challenging trial.
Accustomed to being in control and setting his own pace, Mr. Trump had to comply with the judge’s orders to sit back down after attempting to leave the courtroom prematurely. This moment highlighted the stark reality that for the next six weeks, the former president, known for his defiance and strong demeanor, is in a position of little control.
The courtroom setting, with its cold and mundane atmosphere, has been a stark contrast to Mr. Trump’s usual surroundings of power and grandeur. Forced to sit and listen as prosecutors and jurors describe him in negative terms, Mr. Trump has had to endure insults and criticisms without his usual platform of social media or news conferences to respond.
As the trial progresses, Mr. Trump’s advisers are anxious about how he will handle the boredom and lack of activity, as well as the potential for uncomfortable questions about his personal life to be raised in court. Despite efforts to portray the trial as a political attack, the reality of the legal process may prove to be its own form of punishment for the former president.
With the possibility of a conviction looming, many in Mr. Trump’s inner circle are bracing for the potential fallout from the trial. The shared belief among his advisers is that the process itself may be just as damaging as a guilty verdict, as Mr. Trump navigates the unfamiliar territory of a courtroom where he is not in control.
