Donald Trump doesn’t believe in the truth; he believes in his truth. And what, you wonder, is that? He thinks Donald Trump is the great man in history. He can’t be held to the same standards as mere mortals. Anything he says to further his own interests, regardless of the facts, is consequently consistent with a higher form of “truth.” This is the case whether he is selling Trump steaks or running for president.
With that as background, imagine how he will perform in the courtroom, where the truth is defined as an objective standard, to be reached through an open, fair, and adversarial process. He will be aggressive and angry. He will complain over and over again that he is being persecuted for partisan political purposes. He will try using salesman tactics–“truthful hyperbole”– on the jury. He will consistently give evasive answers to questions on cross-examination. When confronted with clear evidence of past lies and misconduct, he will simply lie and deny everything rather than trying to excuse himself, which is, of course, beneath the dignity of such a great man. None of this will escape the attention of the jury.
That is why Trump’s attorneys will do everything in their power to keep him off the stand. Will they succeed? TBD.