May 21, 2024 11:42 AM UTC

Trump Hush Money Trial: The Defense Snoozes

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• by: Colorado Pols

As NBC News reports, the witness testimony phase of the criminal trial against former President Donald Trump for allegedly covering up a “hush money” payment to porn star Stormy Daniels is over, and closing arguments will get underway after the upcoming Memorial Day weekend:

Judge Merchan explains that the jury won’t return to court until next Tuesday for summations, adding that those closing arguments “will not be quick” and he expects his instructions to take at least an hour.

He said the court would have been in session today and Thursday. “There is no way that we can possibly do what needs to be done in a cohesive manner.”

The judge said he decided the best thing to do was for the jury to adjourn now and return next Tuesday. He directed the jurors to continue keeping an open mind and then he’ll give final instructions on the law. He added that he expects to potentially work next Wednesday as well.

With Trump’s adoring allies in Congress including Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado having made their exhibitions of support last week, the biggest moment of drama yesterday came as a defense witness Robert Costello engaged in some ill-advised confrontational eye contact with Judge Juan Merchan–who by this point in the trial all sides should be aware doesn’t take kindly to being bullied in his own courtroom:

The judge then asked the jury to step out of the courtroom. Once jurors left, Merchan said, “I want to discuss proper decorum in my courtroom.”

“When there’s a witness on the stand, if you don’t like my ruling, you don’t say ‘jeez,’” Merchan said to Costello. “You don’t give me a side eye and you don’t roll your eyes,” Merchan said, his voice showing his anger.

When Costello held a long glare at the judge, Merchan asked, “Are you staring me down?”

Despite indicating his desire to do so, Trump himself ultimately declined to take the witness stand himself. AP reports that the normally so talkative it’s downright contemptuous ex-President took no questions leaving the courtroom today:

Trump, the first former American president to be tried criminally, did not stop to speak as he left the courthouse and ignored a question about why he did not testify. The Republican previously said he wanted to take the witness stand to defend himself against what he claims are politically motivated charges.

Since President Trump’s first act after conviction will be to denounce the whole proceeding before filing his foregone conclusion of an appeal, there’s an argument that not letting Trump take the stand and potentially do more harm is worth more than anything he might achieve defending himself. Like the “Big Lie” itself that Trump won the 2020 presidential election, maintaining Trump’s denials of the affair with Storm Daniels while acknowledging paying her $130,000 to supposedly not have had said affair is harder to pull off under oath.

And now, America has a long holiday weekend to decide the first of Trump’s criminal cases for themselves, with the help of their MAGA uncles over for barbeque. We’ll be exited to hear how it goes in your family.