MSNBC interrupted former President Donald Trump’s rambling speech outside the courtroom following the first day of testimony in his hush-money trial due to the numerous false claims he made.
Trump asserted that the case centered around a $130,000 payoff, which Chris Jansing of MSNBC clarified was not the focus of the trial. Instead, the case revolves around the falsification of business records to conceal the hush-money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to suppress her claims of an extramarital affair with Trump before the 2016 election.
Trump also falsely claimed that many experts, including prosecutors, consider the case to be legitimate. However, Jansing stated that the current Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, had initially declined to pursue the financial fraud case but later reversed his decision.
According to MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell, Trump is attempting to downplay the seriousness of the case by characterizing it as a “bookkeeping error” or an internal dispute with his lawyer. However, she emphasized that these are not the issues being addressed in the trial.
Trump further claimed that the charges against him are unprecedented and politically motivated. However, Mitchell noted that no former president has ever been accused of similar actions and that the federal government is not involved in the case.
During his speech, Trump complained about the gag order preventing him from discussing potential witnesses, including Cohen and Daniels. A meeting is scheduled for Tuesday to address alleged violations of the order by Trump.
Fox News’ Ainsley Earhardt expressed concern that the trial could create a negative precedent for future presidential candidates who have engaged in similar behavior. She suggested that the potential consequences could deter individuals from seeking office.
However, prosecutors allege that Trump’s hush-money payment was an attempt to conceal information from the public ahead of the 2016 election. Despite this distinction, Fox News legal editor Kerry Kupec Urbahn expressed agreement with Earhardt’s assessment of the potential precedent.
Legal expert Caroline Polisi raised concerns about Trump’s attorney overselling the defense’s claims during opening statements. She noted that the defense may struggle to support their assertion that Trump had no knowledge of the payments or their purpose. Prosecutors possess a recording of a phone call between Trump and Cohen discussing the payments to Daniels, which contradicts the defense’s claims.
