Trump had reasoned that since he would need to go to the courthouse and surrender himself to authorities for fingerprinting and a mug shot , the sources said, he might as well turn everything into a “spectacle”.
His increasing insistence that he wants to be handcuffed behind his back for a frog march to court appears to come from various motivations, including that he wants to project defiance in the face of what he maintains is an unfair prosecution and that it would galvani se his base for his 2024 presidential campaign.
Those close to Trump said he was anxious that any special arrangements – such as making his first court appearance by video link or “skulking” into court – would make him look weak or appear a “loser”.
The recent discussions that Trump has had about his surrender with close advisers at Mar-a-Lago and elsewhere opens a window on to the former president’s unique fears and anxieties as the grand jury appears on course to return an indictment.
This story is from the March 23, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the March 23, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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