The Rachel Maddow Show 5/18/24 | πŸ…ΌπŸ†‚πŸ…½πŸ…±πŸ…² Breaking News May 18, 2024

LΓ©ia Oliveira
18 May 202451:19

Summary

TLDRIn a pivotal moment of the criminal trial against former President Donald Trump, his longtime lawyer and 'fixer,' Michael Cohen, testified that Trump personally approved and directed hush money payments to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Cohen's testimony aimed to show Trump's direct involvement in a scheme to suppress negative information and benefit his campaign. The prosecution's case relies on establishing Trump's intent and knowledge, while the defense may argue Cohen and others acted without Trump's consent. The trial's outcome could hinge on the jury's perception of the evidence and Trump's involvement.

Takeaways

  • πŸ“… Michael Cohen recalls being in London for his daughter's 21st birthday and anniversary on October 7th, 2016, the day the Access Hollywood tape was released.
  • πŸ“ž Cohen received a call from Hope Hicks, the communication director for the Trump campaign, informing him about the tape, and also an email from Steve Bannon regarding its potential release.
  • πŸ”— The email exchange between Cohen, Bannon, and others was about crafting a response to the impending story about Trump's alleged infidelities and the cover-up, showing Cohen as an integral part of the campaign's strategy.
  • πŸŽ₯ Hope Hicks forwarded an email from David Farenthold of The Washington Post to Cohen, seeking comment on the tape leak, indicating a coordinated effort to manage the narrative.
  • πŸ€” Cohen testified that Trump wanted to spin the Access Hollywood tape as 'locker room talk,' a phrase he claimed Melania Trump suggested, to minimize its impact on the campaign.
  • πŸ’¬ Cohen's testimony highlights the active role he played in the Trump campaign's response to allegations and scandals, contradicting any notion of him being a 'rogue employee'.
  • πŸ’Έ Cohen also discussed the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, stating that Trump personally approved and directed it to protect his campaign, not his family.
  • πŸ—£οΈ Trump's defense may face challenges countering Cohen's detailed account of events, given his history as Trump's 'fixer' and the evidence presented in court.
  • πŸ“ˆ The trial's impact on public opinion is yet to be fully understood, but it has not significantly changed views of the candidates thus far according to some polling data.
  • πŸŽ‰ Outside the court, Trump's trial has become a spectacle with Republican politicians showing support, possibly seeking favor for future political ambitions.

Q & A

  • What significant event occurred on October 7th, 2016, as mentioned in the trial?

    -The release of the Access Hollywood tape, which featured then-presidential candidate Donald Trump making inappropriate comments, occurred on October 7th, 2016.

  • Who were Hope Hicks and Steve Bannon at the time of the Access Hollywood tape release?

    -Hope Hicks was the Communications Director for the Trump campaign, and Steve Bannon was the Campaign Manager for the Trump campaign.

  • What role did Michael Cohen play in relation to the Access Hollywood tape?

    -Michael Cohen received a phone call from Hope Hicks about the tape and was also involved in discussions regarding the strategy to deal with the tape's impact on the campaign.

  • What was the strategy decided upon to handle the Access Hollywood tape situation?

    -The strategy was to spin the tape as 'locker room talk,' a phrase that was suggested by Melania Trump, according to Michael Cohen's testimony.

  • Who was David Farenthold and what was his involvement in the trial?

    -David Farenthold was a reporter from The Washington Post who sent an urgent query to Hope Hicks regarding the Access Hollywood tape leak.

  • What was the purpose of the email exchange between Hope Hicks and Michael Cohen?

    -The email exchange was regarding the potential release of the Access Hollywood tape and how to respond to media inquiries about it.

  • What does the testimony of Michael Cohen suggest about his role in the Trump campaign?

    -Michael Cohen's testimony suggests that he was not a rogue employee but was closely involved with the Trump campaign, participating in key decisions and strategies, including those related to the Access Hollywood tape.

  • What was the significance of the testimony about Melania Trump's response to the Access Hollywood tape?

    -The testimony indicates that Melania Trump was portrayed as a team player in the cover-up, which could undermine any defense strategy that relies on her being unaware or uninvolved in the campaign's response to the tape.

  • What was the context of the recording made by Michael Cohen involving Donald Trump?

    -The recording was made during a conversation about how to structure the payment to reimburse American Media for the money they had advanced to Karen McDougall, to ensure that the story about her alleged affair with Trump would not be published.

  • What was the prosecution's strategy in having Michael Cohen as a witness?

    -The prosecution's strategy was to use Michael Cohen as a key witness to provide a detailed account of the alleged criminal activities, including the payment to Stormy Daniels and the handling of the Access Hollywood tape, situating Trump at the center of these activities.

  • What is the potential impact of the tapes and testimonies on the jury's perception of Donald Trump?

    -The tapes and testimonies could potentially influence the jury's perception of Donald Trump by presenting him as being directly involved in the alleged criminal activities and cover-ups, which could be crucial in establishing intent and consciousness of guilt.

Outlines

00:00

πŸ“… Trump's Response to the Access Hollywood Tape

In this paragraph, Michael Cohen, former personal lawyer to Donald Trump, recounts his recollection of the events surrounding the release of the Access Hollywood tape in October 2016. Cohen was in London for his daughter's birthday and his anniversary when he received a call from Hope Hicks, then the communication director for the Trump campaign, informing him of the tape's release. He also received an email from Steve Bannon, the campaign manager at the time, discussing the tape. The email exchange involved discussing a strategy to manage the fallout from the tape, with Hicks forwarding an urgent email from the Washington Post seeking comment on the tape. Cohen mentions a phone call with Trump, where the strategy to label the tape's content as 'locker room talk' was decided upon, a phrase allegedly suggested by Melania Trump. This paragraph highlights the coordinated response within the Trump campaign to mitigate the impact of the tape on the election.

05:03

🀝 Michael Cohen's Role in Trump's Legal Strategy

This paragraph delves into Michael Cohen's involvement in formulating and executing legal strategies for Donald Trump, particularly in response to allegations of infidelity. It discusses Cohen's role in crafting public statements and managing media narratives, as evidenced by email exchanges with Hope Hicks. The paragraph also touches on the public's perception of Cohen and the reality of his deep integration into Trump's team, contradicting any notion of him being a 'rogue employee'. It highlights the proactive measures taken by the Trump campaign, with Cohen at the helm, to counter allegations and control the narrative, especially in relation to women's allegations against Trump.

10:05

🎀 The Political Theater of Trump's Criminal Trial

In this paragraph, the focus shifts to the political implications of Trump's criminal trial. It discusses the presence of Republican politicians, including senators and attorneys general, who are publicly supporting Trump during his trial. The narrative suggests that this support is part of a broader political strategy, with these politicians angling for positions in a potential second Trump administration. The paragraph also contrasts Trump's claims that the trial is preventing him from campaigning with the reality that he is not actively campaigning on his non-trial days. It critiques the behavior of these politicians as 'craven' and 'embarrassing', highlighting the spectacle of the trial and its impact on the Republican party's image.

15:06

πŸ› The Contrasting Campaigns of Trump and Biden

This paragraph contrasts the political strategies of Donald Trump and Joe Biden during the presidential campaign. It points out that while Trump is making his criminal trial a central part of his campaign narrative, Biden is focusing on promoting his administration's accomplishments and how they benefit the public. The paragraph also notes that Biden is actively campaigning in swing states, unlike Trump who is often at his club in Florida or at home. The discussion suggests that the two candidates are operating on 'wildly different planets', reflecting the stark contrast in their approaches to the election.

20:08

πŸŽ₯ Michael Cohen's Testimony on Trump's Alleged Misdeeds

In this paragraph, the discussion centers on Michael Cohen's testimony regarding his interactions with Donald Trump, particularly concerning Stormy Daniels. Cohen details a 2011 conversation with Trump about Daniels, an adult film star, and the efforts to suppress a story about their alleged encounter. The paragraph also touches on Cohen's role in managing negative information about Trump and the implications of these actions for the prosecution's case. It highlights the evidence presented in court, including a recording of Cohen and Trump discussing payments, which could be crucial in establishing Trump's involvement in the alleged criminal activity.

25:11

πŸ’Ό Trump's Involvement in Hush Money Payments

The paragraph focuses on the details of the hush money payments allegedly orchestrated by Donald Trump, with Michael Cohen's testimony providing a timeline and context for these transactions. It discusses the payments to Stormy Daniels and the involvement of American Media, Inc. (AMI), which advanced money to Karen McDougal. The paragraph reveals a recording where Trump and Cohen discuss making payments in cash to avoid a paper trail, underscoring Trump's alleged desire to keep the transactions secret. This evidence is crucial for the prosecution's case, as it implicates Trump directly in the scheme to suppress negative information during his presidential campaign.

30:13

πŸ—³οΈ The Legal and Political Implications of Trump's Actions

This paragraph explores the legal and political ramifications of the actions described in the trial. It discusses the potential strategies of Trump's defense, including the possibility of pleading guilty to a lesser offense to avoid more severe charges. The paragraph also considers the impact of the trial on public perception and the political calculations of those involved. It highlights the complexity of the case and the challenges faced by the prosecution in proving intent and establishing a clear narrative of guilt.

Mindmap

Keywords

πŸ’‘Donald Trump

Donald Trump is the former president of the United States and the central figure in the criminal trial discussed in the video script. His involvement in the trial is the main theme of the video, with the trial focusing on allegations of financial misconduct and hush money payments during his presidential campaign.

πŸ’‘Michael Cohen

Michael Cohen is a lawyer and former 'fixer' for Donald Trump. In the script, he is a key witness for the prosecution, providing testimony about Trump's alleged involvement in making hush money payments to silence stories that could have damaged his presidential campaign. His testimony is crucial as it directly implicates Trump's actions.

πŸ’‘Hush Money

Hush money refers to payments made to ensure silence about a particular matter, often to avoid scandal or public exposure. In the video's context, it is alleged that Trump directed the payment of hush money to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougall to prevent their stories about alleged affairs from influencing the election.

πŸ’‘Stormy Daniels

Stormy Daniels is an adult film actress who allegedly had an affair with Trump and was paid hush money to keep her story quiet during the 2016 presidential campaign. Her name is repeatedly mentioned in the script as a key figure whose story was allegedly suppressed by Trump's team.

πŸ’‘Karen McDougall

Karen McDougall is a former Playboy Playmate who also allegedly had an affair with Trump and was paid to keep quiet. Her story is mentioned in the script as another instance of alleged hush money payment to protect Trump's image during the campaign.

πŸ’‘David Pecker

David Pecker is the former head of American Media, Inc., which published the National Enquirer. In the script, Pecker is implicated in the alleged scheme to suppress negative stories about Trump by purchasing the rights to McDougall's story to ensure it never became public.

πŸ’‘Falsification of Business Records

Falsification of business records is a crime that involves making false entries in a business's official records. In the video, this is the charge against Trump, alleging that he falsely recorded legal fees to disguise hush money payments, as detailed in the script.

πŸ’‘Prosecution

The prosecution in the script refers to the legal team bringing charges against Donald Trump. Their role is to present evidence and testimony to prove that Trump was involved in criminal activity related to hush money payments.

πŸ’‘Cross-Examination

Cross-examination is a legal process where a witness is questioned by the opposing counsel, in this case, the defense. The script mentions anticipation of a tough cross-examination of Michael Cohen, indicating a critical phase in the trial where the defense will challenge his credibility and testimony.

πŸ’‘Campaign Finance

Campaign finance refers to the funding of political campaigns. In the video script, the discussion revolves around whether the payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougall should have been considered campaign expenses, which ties into the legality and reporting of these transactions.

πŸ’‘Testimony

Testimony in the script refers to the formal statements made by witnesses under oath during a trial. Michael Cohen's testimony is highlighted, as he provides detailed accounts of his interactions with Trump and the alleged hush money payments.

Highlights

Michael Cohen testified that Donald Trump personally approved and directed the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels to protect his presidential campaign.

Cohen recalled being in London for his daughter's 21st birthday and anniversary when the Access Hollywood tape was released.

Hope Hicks, the communication director for the Trump campaign, informed Cohen about the release of the Access Hollywood tape.

Steve Bannon, the campaign manager at the time, also sent an email to Cohen regarding the potential release of the tape.

David Farenthold from the Washington Post sent an urgent query to Hope Hicks for comment on the tape leak, which Hicks forwarded to the campaign team.

Cohen stated that Trump wanted to spin the Access Hollywood tape as 'locker room talk', a phrase he claimed Melania Trump used.

An email exchange between Hope Hicks and Michael Cohen showed Hicks trying out different types of denials for a story about alleged infidelities.

Cohen was a key part of the team's response to allegations from women and was consulted at the highest levels for the response strategy.

Melania Trump's role and her contribution to the defense strategy were highlighted, showing her as a team player in the cover-up.

The prosecution presented a case that Michael Cohen was not a rogue employee but an integral part of Trump's team, especially in matters of alleged infidelity.

Cohen's testimony and the evidence introduced show that he was part of a coordinated effort to respond to the Access Hollywood tape and other allegations.

The trial revealed that Trump's defense might rely on the narrative that the hush money was paid to protect Melania, not to influence the campaign.

Cohen's account of his involvement in the scheme to suppress negative information about Trump provides a detailed timeline and corroborating evidence.

The prosecution's case is building a picture of Trump as the central figure in a coordinated effort to violate campaign finance laws.

A recording of Cohen and Trump discussing the reimbursement of American Media for the payment to Karen McDougall was played during the trial.

Trump's desire to make the payment in cash suggests an intent to keep the transaction untraceable and hidden.

Cohen's testimony implicates Trump as having knowledge and involvement in the alleged falsification of business records.

Transcripts

00:00

welcome back to our Prime Time recap of

00:02

the criminal trial of former president

00:05

Donald Trump prosecutor I would like to

00:08

direct your attention now to October 7th

00:10

2016 do you remember where you were that

00:13

day Michael Cohen yes question where

00:15

were you answer I was in London question

00:18

how do you remember that you were in

00:19

London answer well I went to London for

00:21

my daughter's 21st birthday as well as

00:23

for my anniversary and while you were in

00:25

London did you become aware of the

00:26

release of what's known as the access

00:28

Hollywood tape answer yes

00:30

and how did you become aware of that

00:31

tape coming out or that it had come out

00:33

answer I received a phone call who did

00:35

you receive a phone call from answer

00:37

from Hope Hicks who was hope Hicks at

00:40

the time hope Hicks was communication

00:42

director for the Trump campaign do you

00:44

also recall receiving at around that

00:46

time an email from Steve Bannon about

00:48

the potential release of the Access

00:49

Hollywood tape answer yes and who was

00:52

Steve Bannon at the time campaign

00:54

manager for the Trump campaign question

00:56

do you recognize this email answer I do

00:58

it's an email between me and Steve

01:00

Bannon as well as hope pix Jason Miller

01:02

kellyanne Conway David bossy does it

01:05

relate to the release of the Access

01:06

Hollywood tape it does and can you tell

01:08

the jury what you understand this bottom

01:10

email to be answer yes this is an email

01:13

from David farenthold of the Washington

01:15

Post and it's to Hope Hicks with the

01:17

subject matter of urgent Washington Post

01:20

query question and just in general what

01:24

is he communicating to Hope Hicks and

01:26

what is he asking her for answer he's

01:28

asking her for comment in regard to the

01:29

the leak of the tape from Access

01:31

Hollywood question and is there a

01:33

transcript of the Access Hollywood tape

01:34

attached to the email from David fenold

01:37

to hopix answer there is question and

01:40

does hopix then forward that email to

01:42

some other folks answer she does what

01:44

does hopix say in that email that she

01:46

forwards on to those folks involved in

01:48

the campaign answer need to hear the

01:51

tape to be sure Then followed by deny

01:55

deny

01:56

deny question and is that does does that

02:00

get forwarded now as we scroll down does

02:01

that get forwarded by Mr Bannon onto you

02:04

answer yes ma'am question and while you

02:07

were in London did you have several

02:08

calls with hope hick about this matter

02:10

the exess Hollywood tape answer I did at

02:13

one point did Mr Trump join a call with

02:15

yourself and hope pick answer yes on

02:17

that day on October 8th Answer yes

02:20

question and did you also have another

02:22

separate call with Mr Trump on October

02:24

8th 2016 answer yes question do you have

02:27

a separate memory of where you were and

02:29

what you were doing when you had these

02:30

phone calls with him answer yes what

02:32

were you doing answer I was in my I was

02:35

with my family and friends in London

02:37

question were you having dinner answer I

02:39

was did you step out to take these calls

02:41

I did and what if any discussion do you

02:44

remember with Mr Trump about the tape

02:46

and the strategy for dealing with it

02:48

answer he wanted me to reach out to all

02:50

of my contacts with the media we needed

02:52

to put a spin on this and the spin that

02:55

he wanted to put on

02:57

it was that this is Locker room talk

03:01

something that Melania had

03:04

recommended or at least he told me that

03:07

that's what Melania had thought it was

03:09

and use that in order to get control

03:11

over the story and to minimize its

03:13

impact on him and the campaign question

03:16

and what if anything did you do at that

03:18

point to try to assist the campaign with

03:20

that effort answer I reached out to

03:21

members of the

03:24

media he told her that uh excuse me he

03:26

told Mr Cohen that the locker room talk

03:30

defense which became the defense that

03:33

spin about what the Access Hollywood

03:35

tape was all about Michael Cohen says

03:37

that Trump told him it was his wife's

03:40

idea that it was Melania Trump's phrase

03:43

locker room

03:44

talk the other thing that's important

03:47

about this exchange besides that bizarre

03:50

assertion is that it shows that Michael

03:53

Cohen was not a rogue employee he was

03:56

not a solo operator especially on issues

03:59

like as Nicole points out that things

04:01

that related to alleged infidelity

04:04

Michael Cohen was on the team he was

04:06

part of if not leading the whole team

04:08

response that was also made clear in

04:10

this exhibit this printed exhibit that

04:12

was filed for the first time in court

04:14

today this is right before the election

04:16

the election was November 8th this was

04:18

November 4th and this email exchange

04:20

between hope Hicks and Michael Cohen

04:22

shows Hicks trying out different types

04:24

of denials that she wants to issue

04:27

potentially to the Wall Street Journal

04:29

about the story they're about to run

04:30

about these alleged infidelities and the

04:33

cover up of them she's running these

04:35

proposed denials by Michael Cohen Cohen

04:39

responds with his own he says quote

04:40

instead say this these accusations are

04:43

completely untrue and just the latest

04:44

despicable attempt by the liberal media

04:46

and the Clinton machine to blah blah

04:48

blah blah blah blah

04:51

blah prosecutors throughout this trial

04:54

have not just allowed they have

04:56

basically invited testimony from earlier

04:59

Witness including from hopix um in

05:03

invited these witnesses to disparage or

05:07

say how much they didn't like or didn't

05:09

respect Michael

05:11

Cohen but then today they showed the

05:13

receipts of him not operating alone of

05:15

him being totally part of Team Trump

05:17

responding to allegations about Trump

05:19

being consulted at the highest levels

05:21

about what the response should be

05:23

specifically he was a key part of the

05:26

whole team's response when it came to

05:28

allegations from women

05:30

how does that part of his testimony

05:33

today and this evidence introduced today

05:35

uh help the prosecution I'm endlessly

05:39

intrigued by the Sinister role hopix

05:41

played behind the scenes because other

05:43

than Bill bar there's no one whose

05:45

reputation has been more successfully

05:47

laundered sort of before during after

05:49

the Trump years than than hopix hopix

05:51

gets a transcript of Access Hollywood

05:54

she's in the room where Trump is saying

05:55

is that Trump he's talking about himself

05:57

in the third person I understand and her

05:59

she sends the TR of course we're going

06:01

to deny deny deny the first thing she

06:04

writes when Wall Street Journal calls

06:05

with McDougall is deny deny deny and if

06:07

you read her draft responses they are

06:10

more bombastic more partisan and more

06:12

nasty than anything Cohen edits her down

06:15

I mean h hopix is sort of the the

06:17

surprise and it shouldn't be a surprise

06:20

but a really sharp elbowed sort of paid

06:23

liar for Donald Trump and Coen is a

06:25

moderating force on the public

06:26

statements of The Campaign which is

06:28

stunning the melan thing I had heard at

06:30

the time and Milani actually goes out

06:31

and does an interview where she says

06:33

that and I think she says it in an

06:35

interview I can't remember if it's in

06:37

his hostage statement that night

06:39

remember he puts out a hostage I can't I

06:41

can't remember if he uses it but she

06:42

does an interview they somehow I I don't

06:44

know how but they get her to do an

06:45

interview and she uses that line in an

06:47

interview that she does I think it's

06:49

maybe after the debate so it's maybe

06:51

four days after the tape is dropped but

06:53

that is their their line and I mean

06:55

tragically because the other stories

06:57

stay silent

07:00

you know in their minds they think it

07:01

does work Lawrence so you know the

07:04

Melania question uh is is kind of

07:06

important on on this point uh because

07:09

Melania will through the questioning of

07:11

the defense that they will try to use

07:14

her as a reason Donald Trump wanted

07:17

these things to not come out uh but what

07:19

you're seeing there is Melania Trump in

07:22

this in this testimony is going to be

07:23

uncontested let's remember Donald Trump

07:26

is not going to take the witness stand

07:27

and say Melania didn't say that Milani

07:30

is not going to take the witness stand

07:31

and say she didn't say that so it will

07:33

be uncontested in the record and this is

07:37

Melania Trump after seeing what Donald

07:40

how Donald Trump brags about his

07:42

favorite method of sexual assault this

07:45

is worse than what you're learning about

07:47

Stormy Daniels this is worse than what

07:49

you're learning about Susan McDougall

07:51

and this portrays Melania as a team

07:54

player in the coverup let's get our guy

07:57

through it which means

08:00

why would you ever worry about Melania

08:04

when the stormy Daniel story comes along

08:06

yeah which matters right if the defense

08:09

is going to count on putting in a mind

08:12

of a single juror a counternarrative

08:14

that makes this whole hush money and and

08:18

and falsification of business records

08:20

scheme something that is innocent

08:22

because it wasn't Criminal is just

08:24

designed to protect Melania just

08:25

designed to protect the family rather

08:27

than to influence the campaign I mean if

08:30

that's what they're going to try to do

08:31

it seems very hard to do that now given

08:34

the testimony about Mrs Trump's own

08:37

contributions to this defense and to

08:39

what he what Trump explained about how

08:41

he didn't care about whether she knew so

08:42

just a second on here's how a defense

08:44

would do that they'd put Melania they

08:46

put the wife on the witness stand she'd

08:48

be in tears saying this crushed me this

08:50

was devastating when I learned this

08:52

Stormy Daniels news it was the most

08:53

horrible day of my life that's the way a

08:56

defense would actually get that into a

08:58

case like this or she'd be there she'd

09:00

be sitting behind him every day of the

09:02

trial showing her support even if she

09:04

doesn't take the stand but her absence

09:07

screams volumes of a lack of a belief in

09:10

Donald Trump our Prime Time recap of the

09:13

only criminal trial in history of an

09:15

American president uh continues right

09:17

after the break we got much more to come

09:18

stay with

09:19

us welcome back to our MSNBC Prime Time

09:22

recap of the criminal trial of former

09:26

president Donald Trump I'm here with my

09:27

colleagues Ari melber and Katie Fang and

09:30

Chris Hayes from MSNBC along with

09:32

Suzanne Craig from The New York Times

09:33

good to have you all here uh today the

09:35

prosecution called its 20th and likely

09:38

its Final witness Trump's longtime

09:41

lawyer and quote unquote fixer Michael

09:44

Cohen Michael Cohen today told the jury

09:46

that Trump personally approved and

09:48

directed The Hush money payment to an

09:51

adult fil film actress and director in

09:53

2016 including the false pretense of

09:56

structuring the payment as if it was um

09:59

a set of legal fees when it wasn't Cohen

10:02

testified today that Trump did this

10:04

explicitly to protect his presidential

10:06

campaign from the damage her story would

10:10

cause that it was not paid to protect

10:12

his family or his wife from any

10:15

embarrassment this Blockbuster testimony

10:17

defined the official court action inside

10:20

the court the direct examination of

10:22

Cohen will continue tomorrow the

10:24

cross-examination will then begin

10:26

thereafter and we expect lots of

10:28

fireworks at that point point but today

10:30

outside the court Trump made his own bid

10:33

for attention with the help from some of

10:35

his friends do we call them friends

10:39

possible running mates political allies

10:41

I don't know as he always does on his

10:43

way into court this morning the former

10:45

president himself stopped in front of

10:46

cameras to spend a few minutes

10:48

denouncing the trial uh but if you look

10:50

over his right shoulder there are those

10:51

familiar faces yes they are in front of

10:54

Donald Trump's adult son Eric he's the

10:57

blonde one he's standing in the back

10:59

there uh there are two Republican United

11:01

States senators J D Vance of Ohio and

11:04

Tommy tupperville of Alabama those two

11:07

senators came along with a republican

11:09

congresswoman from Staten Island and two

11:11

Republican State Attorneys General one

11:14

from Alabama one from I think

11:16

Iowa um to to keep Donald Trump

11:20

company this is becoming kind of a thing

11:23

in Republican politics to make a

11:25

pilgrimage to Trump's trial last week it

11:28

was Republican senator Rick Scott he's

11:30

up for reelection this year in Trump's

11:32

adopted hom State of Florida NBC News

11:34

has confirmed that former Republican

11:36

presidential candidate Vic ramaswami

11:38

will join Trump in court

11:40

tomorrow okay and the Craven desperate

11:45

politics of all this is embarrassing to

11:48

everybody who's watching it I mean many

11:50

of these folks are obviously hoping for

11:52

gigs and what they hope will be a second

11:53

Trump Administration JD Vance in

11:55

particular is desperate to be considered

11:58

for Trump's vice president but when

12:01

Senator Vance and Senator tupperville

12:02

left the courtroom today after a couple

12:04

of hours and headed for the cameras

12:06

themselves they made sure to tell

12:08

everybody that they were only there to

12:10

support their dear dear friend in

12:14

need I'm here for the simple reason to

12:16

show support for a friend luckily the

12:19

president's supporters should know that

12:20

he's actually in great spirits despite

12:22

the circumstances of this I'm here today

12:25

to represent and to pay my respects to

12:28

what president Trump is going

12:29

through it's a tough time for him that

12:32

courtroom is depressing this is New York

12:35

City icon of our country and we got a

12:39

courtroom that's the most depressing

12:41

thing I've ever been in mental anguish

12:44

is trying to be pushed on the Republican

12:47

candidate for the president of United

12:49

States this year that's all this is

12:51

Republican candidate for president of

12:53

United States is going through mental

12:55

anguish in a courtroom that's very

12:58

depressing very

13:00

depressing there is a little known

13:02

Constitutional Amendment which requires

13:05

a playful mobile to be put above

13:07

criminal defendants in courtrooms that

13:10

are particularly depressing it's like a

13:13

subset of the

13:14

ath at one point Senator Vance voiced

13:17

his concern that Donald Trump was being

13:19

made to feel quote

13:21

lonely because he isn't seeing crowds of

13:23

supporters every day outside the

13:25

courthouse that's because they're not

13:27

there but uh the Senators and the rest

13:30

of the gagle of Republican officials who

13:32

were at the courthouse today they all

13:34

echoed one of Trump's most common

13:35

complaints about his trial which is that

13:37

it's keeping him off the campaign

13:41

Trail he should be out on the campaign

13:43

Trail uh but of course he's here with

13:45

this trial our president Trump is tied

13:47

up in court when he should be out on the

13:50

campaign Trail this is simply an effort

13:52

to keep Donald Trump in New York city so

13:54

he can't go out and speak to the people

13:56

of this country about why he should be

13:58

re elected this President I should be

14:01

out campaigning now instead of sitting

14:03

in a very cold Courthouse all day long

14:07

it's not that cold um Donald Trump

14:10

should be out campaigning he should be

14:11

out barnstorming the swing States that's

14:14

what of course he would be doing if he

14:16

were not trapped at this trial that's

14:18

the line right here's the problem it is

14:21

true that Trump is required to be in

14:23

court when it is in session he is after

14:25

all a criminal defendant but that's only

14:27

maximum 4 days a week sometimes it's

14:30

only three days a week and on those

14:32

other days when Court isn't in session

14:33

the former president is mostly not

14:36

campaigning most of his non-trial days

14:38

he's been hanging out at his Club in

14:40

Florida or staying home in New York or

14:44

New Jersey as his his right but it

14:47

remains this strange and easily

14:50

disprovable thing that Trump and his

14:53

allies and quote friends are constantly

14:55

saying that he would be out campaigning

14:57

if he weren't in court that is easily

15:00

disproven by the observable fact that

15:02

when he is not in court he is mostly not

15:04

doing

15:06

that to be fair he did have one big

15:08

rally this weekend in New Jersey that is

15:10

a state that has not voted for a

15:12

republican for president since 1988 but

15:15

hey Hope Springs Eternal it does have

15:17

the advantage of being a quick quick hop

15:19

skip and a jump from from Trump's New

15:21

York apartment so maybe that was the

15:22

reason he did it but meanwhile President