A critical witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial spoke about their experience testifying in the Manhattan courtroom, where the former president faces charges of falsifying business records to conceal payments to Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.
They compared the former president's stare to a "mad dog."
The witness, who remains anonymous due to safety concerns, expressed apprehension about the pervasive climate of violence linked to Trump's rise, stating, "There's a lot of crazy people out there. Just look at January 6th, look at the protections that they established around the courthouse. The authorities took it seriously, so why shouldn’t I? I am concerned about retribution."
The witness detailed Trump's demeanor during the proceedings, noting his intimidating stares and disrespectful behavior, including glaring, grimacing and inattentiveness. They expressed concern about Trump's actions influencing the jury and criticized his lack of respect toward the judicial process.
“He was trying to mad-dog,” the witness said. “I was thinking, is the jury seeing this?”
When Trump was not staring at the witness, they said he closed his eyes or gazed at the ceiling, actions they thought were disrespectful to the jurors and the court.
“He kept closing his eyes and then looking up at the ceiling,” they explained. “Almost like he couldn’t be bothered with the trial. Here are these jurors who have interrupted their lives to be here, and Trump can’t show any respect. He’s constantly playing to voters and to the press, but he was not playing to the jurors, and in that room it’s all about the jury.”
The individual highlighted the tight security measures taken around the courthouse and articulated concerns about potential retribution.
Throughout the trial, heightened precautions have been implemented by law enforcement to protect the witness.
They described being escorted in an unmarked government vehicle by undercover officers through multiple layers of barricades, emphasizing the seriousness of their security arrangements.
Inside the courthouse, the witness awaited their testimony, spending over two hours in a secluded waiting area. Subsequently, they were moved to a small holding space before being escorted into the courtroom, where Trump, his legal team, the judge and the jury were in close proximity.
“Even with the gag order, the potential for intimidation is huge,” the witness told outlets. “I think that everyone in attendance recognized the historic nature of the trial. I think that depending on perspective, some may think that this is a historic venture into firmly establishing the rule of law, while others think of the trial as a slippery slope of political prosecutions.”
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Mediaite provided quotes and sources used in this article.