Not far from the place where US democracy faltered, Donald Trump is now in the dock. At that time he incited his followers, now he has to submit to the procedure of the judiciary.
It’s a rare sight of Donald Trump offering himself in court in Washington. The ex-president, who is also scaring people across the Atlantic with his constant uproar, listens and carefully follows the explanations of judge Moxila Upadhyaya.
At least for the duration of the session, almost half an hour, the rule of law seems to put a stop to the Republicans. Trump, dressed as usual in a dark blue suit and red tie, rises and, with his right hand raised, takes an oath to tell the truth.
In court on Thursday, the 77-year-old will be officially confronted with the most serious allegations against him to date by the judiciary for the first time. The man, who held the highest office in the United States for four years and wants to run again in the 2024 presidential election, is accused of orchestrating a conspiracy against the state. He tried to deprive voters of their right to vote and to obstruct an official process. For the first time in US history, an ex-president has been charged with possible crimes during his tenure. “Not guilty,” Trump said in a clear voice in court about the allegations against him.
The lie of the stolen election
Looking out the window of the courthouse in Washington, the Capitol can be seen. The white domed building towers venerably on the green hill in the sprawling government district of the US capital. Not much going on there by Washington standards on this muggy summer day. Parliament is on summer break. A few tourists cavort on the National Mall between the Congressional seat and the White House. Capitol Police officers make their usual rounds. Everything is in order, well guarded, static, peaceful.
The scenes that took place there almost two and a half years ago are hard to imagine. The chaos that broke out suddenly and with unimagined force in the seat of parliament, the heart of American democracy. Back then, on January 6, 2021, the House of Representatives and Senate gathered under the dome of the Capitol to officially confirm the results of the November US presidential election – and the victory of Trump’s challenger Joe Biden. Thousands of Trump supporters flocked to the US capital to protest against it.
In a rambling speech to supporters that day, Trump reiterated his lie about the stolen election. He detailed how the American people had been betrayed by state election officials, the Washington establishment, powerful Democrats and Biden himself. still be able to overturn the result. The crowd turned into an angry mob, and rioters finally violently stormed the Congress building.
The Senate and House of Representatives had to interrupt their sessions, and parliamentary halls were cleared. MPs huddled under desks, fearing for their lives. Several people died as a result of the riots. Only about 500 meters as the crow flies separate the site of the events of that time from the one to which the ex-president has now returned as the accused.
Trump voters ‘very angry’
Outside the courthouse stands Dion Cini – tanned, wearing a Trump cap, sunglasses, and a red, blue and white outfit – waving a huge flag with the ex-president’s likeness. He was also there on January 6, says the 54-year-old. He heard Trump’s speech that day and also marched to the Capitol, “peacefully” – just like Trump said.
Did he also break into the congress building? “You know I can’t answer that,” he replies meaningfully while waving his giant flag in his face. Should the judiciary throw Trump in jail, he says defiantly. “That would be the biggest mistake they could ever make.” 70 to 80 million people – roughly the number of Trump voters in 2020 – would then be “very angry,” says Cini. It wouldn’t end well, he warns, adding: “What would happen if you put Donald Trump in jail would be worse than January 6th.”
A mountain of legal problems
It will be a long time before a decision can be made on Trump’s possible conviction. Nevertheless, it seems as if Trump is gradually struggling with the growing mountain of legal problems. At the most recent court hearing in Miami, he was even more defiant and annoyed. After the indictment was read there in connection with the document affair, there was even a celebration with supporters in a Cuban restaurant. Yesterday in Washington he seemed more subdued and left the city as quickly as possible after the indictment had been read out.
Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the investigations in both cases, is again present in the courtroom on Thursday – he is only about four meters away from Trump. The ex-president only looks at the man, whom he likes to call “disturbed” or “criminal” at campaign events and on social media, once longer – otherwise he concentrates on the judge.
Shortly before leaving Washington with his private jet, Trump only spoke briefly. In the meantime it has started to rain, Trump is holding an umbrella. “This is a very sad day for America,” he said. It was also very sad to drive through Washington and see all the “dirt” and “decay”, destroyed buildings and graffiti. “This is not the place I left,” he adds, with a view to leaving the White House in 2021. He wants to come back to Washington. But then as President, not as a defendant.
Trump is ahead in polls
The indictment in Washington is the third against Trump, and a fourth may soon follow. But none of this seems to have affected his popularity. Trump is far ahead of all other Republican presidential hopefuls in polls. Despite all the allegations – or maybe because of it. He seems to bind his most die-hard supporters even more closely with each new indictment. “I need one more indictment to secure my re-election,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
What appears to be a joke may contain a touch of bitter seriousness. Because hardcore Trump supporters like Dion Cini can’t be dissuaded from their idol by anything, absolutely nothing. Trump once said that people would vote for him if he shot someone on Fifth Avenue in New York, says die-hard Trump fan Cini: “I agree with him.”