With the Trump trial speeding towards a verdict, is the American public tuning in?
In a stylized image from Getty Images, Donald Trump stands next to the facade of the New York court where he's been on trial. The trial seemed like a quintessential American blockbuster, filled with sensational details and featuring a former president as the defendant.
It's hard to envision a more captivating courtroom drama than one starring Donald Trump, once the world's most influential figure, forced to confront allegations of a controversial encounter with a pornographic actress. Throughout the proceedings, Trump, not known for his humility, has had to endure descriptions of his satin pajamas and comparisons to a "Cheeto-dusted cartoon villain."
Despite weeks of testimony, millions of pages of documents, and a multitude of live TV cameras documenting this historic event—the first criminal trial of a former US leader—the American public seems oddly disengaged. According to a recent YouGov/Yahoo News poll, only 16% of respondents claimed to be closely following the trial. Even those with a mild interest represented just a third of those surveyed.
Polls conducted during the trial reveal similar findings, with more Americans expressing feelings of boredom or anger rather than genuine interest. As the jury prepares to deliver its verdict, the anticipation of a national moment in Lower Manhattan's criminal courtroom number 1530 has been replaced by a sense that the outcome may not elicit the anticipated fervor.
Throughout the six-week trial, Donald Trump has remained present in the courtroom, steadfastly denying allegations of a sexual encounter with Stormy Daniels (Stephanie Clifford). His legal team has sought to portray Daniels as a fabricator, suggesting that she leveraged her notoriety for financial gain, even selling merchandise such as a "Stormy, saint of indictments" candle.
One particularly memorable moment from the trial occurred when Trump's defense attorney, Susan Necheles, asserted that Daniels had "a lot of experience making phony stories about sex appear real."