Donald Trump’s testimony on Nov. 6 in his civil fraud trial reportedly was “brash,” “bombastic,” “grandiose,” “long-winded,” “rambling,” “verbose,” a “diatribe,” and “off-the-rails.” The media hyperventilated over it with overheated headlines—“Trump’s Irreverent Testimony Shows He Won’t Be Corralled,” “Trump Shouts at Judge and Lawyers in Wild Day on Witness Stand,” “Donald Trump Explodes on Witness Stand, Calling AG a ‘Hack,’ Accusing Judge of Fraud.”
One might conclude from the media reports that the day was all about Trump’s triumphant performance in the courtroom and Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron’s futile efforts to contain him. Nothing could be further from the truth.
