Is Trump sleeping during his trial? We were there, we tell you

Donald Trump has been on trial in New York for three weeks. Television cameras are not allowed in this historic trial against the Republican. Our correspondent in the United States, however, attended it closely in recent days.

Renzo Ruf, New York / ch media

Donald Trump gives the impression that none of this concerns him. In room 1530 of a New York local court, the prosecutor may talk about the personal failings of the former president, but the man who is the subject of this sordid trial simply sits there, unresponsive.

Often, Trump’s eyes are closed, as if listening intently to prosecutors or witnesses talking about the defendants’ extramarital affairs, bribery and political careers. But when jurors are present, he doesn’t react directly to what is said – even when his name is mentioned or unflattering things are said about him.

Instead, he poses: he makes a grimace with his mouth and leans back in his dark red leather seat in his ill-fitting blue suit. Unless a security guard blocks my view, I can see, from the uncomfortable wooden bench, what is arguably the most famous blond in the world. Last week I was the first Swiss journalist to follow the criminal proceedings against Donald Trump directly from the courtroom.

Is he sleeping? He denies

Sometimes Trump also seems to doze off briefly – however, it is difficult to judge him from a distance. He of course denies that he slept during his trial.

But lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who supervise the ex-president, do not really seem convinced. They therefore adopted a new strategy so that the 77-year-old accused did not take a nap too often before his time. Last week they gave him a stack of printed newspaper articles. The ex-president leafed through them eagerly, whispering in their ears every time he found something interesting.

The rest of the time, Trump confines himself to the posture of the impassive martyr. And he stays calm. Even during the numerous breaks in the proceedings, his voice cannot be heard in the courtroom. And that’s what’s really striking about this trial: the criminal proceedings certainly revolve around Trump and the 34 alleged violations of New York laws. But in the room of Judge Juan Merchan, there is no room for larger-than-life personalities.

Even Donald Trump is just a completely ordinary defendant there. Symptomatically, Merchan still addresses him as “Mister Trump,” while his lawyers insist on “President Trump.”

The jurors in any case, who must ultimately decide Trump’s guilt, appear unimpressed by the eminent defendant. When they leave the courtroom, they try as hard as they can to look at him – even though they could literally touch the ex-president.

Trump glares at critics

And when Trump leaves the large, poorly ventilated room, he says nothing either. Instead of that, Trump lets his eyes do the talking. On Tuesday, he glared at George Conway – the lawyer and commentator was formerly married to Kellyanne Conway, who played a central role as an advisor to Trump’s November 2016 election victory.

But the conservative is now one of the ex-president’s most virulent television critics. Conway, who had managed to get a seat directly across the aisle, was visibly pleased to have provoked such a strong reaction from Trump. Famous journalists like Maggie Haberman, New York Timeswho follow the trial in the room, are also scrutinized with a dark eye by Trump.

Trump is only animated when he makes a comment for the television cameras in the dingy courtroom hallway. He then attacks the allegedly biased judge or his former and future opponent, President Joe Biden. And sometimes he says things that are simply absurd.

On Thursday, Trump responded to a reporter’s question: “I’m not allowed to testify.” And to add that it is “the Republican Party candidate and the one who has a big lead over Biden, and I have no right to speak”. Then, after three minutes – during which he had spoken – he headed home with his entourage of lawyers, advisers and security agents.