Dozing Don is out of his depth
DESPITE portraying himself as America’s alpha male, Donald Trump’s actions often betray a different reality – one characterised by cowardice rather than courage.
This week, he brought the world the spectacle of becoming the first US president ever to stand trial in a criminal case.
For those unable to keep up with the varying cases against him, this one centres upon the accusation he paid hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels to stop her from spilling the beans on their alleged affair.
Before the trial, Trump saw fit to launch a barrage of attacks on the adult-film actress, referring to her as “Horseface” and dismissing her allegations as baseless.
Last year, he even labelled the case as “the Stormy ‘horseface’ Daniels extortion plot”.
In his attempts to project strength, Trump often reveals his true nature, displaying actions more akin to a chicken than a rooster crowing confidently at dawn.
So it was no surprise that he began his day as a criminal defendant by lashing out at the presiding judge and prosecutors, casting himself as a victim and angrily posting on social media.
In other words, it is a familiar routine. Yet, within the confines of the court, a different Trump emerged – a subdued figure confronting the gravity of his situation.
Although, if convicted in what is the least punishable of the four trials he faces, the charges against Trump are grave – falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments made to Daniels during his 2016 elec tion campaign. The former president denies all charges.
For Trump, accustomed to commanding those before him, the courtroom presents the rudest of wake-up calls – a space where he has no control.
In Judge Juan Merchan, he faces a justice who does not play his games. In this unfamiliar setting, Trump, who has at times appeared unable to stop himself from falling asleep, is stripped of the trappings of power.
No longer addressed as “Mr President,” he is simply “Mr Donald J Trump”, a criminal defendant subject to the same restraints as any other individual facing trial. The dingy courthouse, with its fluorescent lights and its legal formalities, starkly contrasts the opulent surroundings of his Mar-aLago mansion, where he now resides.
As the trial unfolds, the implications for Trump’s political future, which centres upon his campaign to recapture the White House in November, loom large.
While his allies rally to his defence, painting the trial as politically motivated, the broader electorate remains divided.
A recent poll indicates that half of Americans would consider Trump unfit for the presidency if convicted.
Yet, amid the legal proceedings, life goes on for Joe Biden, who remains focused on governing.
As Trump navigates the courtroom drama, the current President grapples with international crises and continues his efforts to connect with voters in key battleground states.
The world watches, pondering the implications for Trump, for Biden, and for the future of American democracy.
Because, unlike Trump in court, the world cannot afford to have the United States asleep at the wheel.