Staff Reports
Former President Trump sparked controversy in his recent Fox News interview with Bret Baier by discussing his recent indictment. Trump, a leading candidate in the Republican primary, discussed how he had been “very, very busy” and was not yet ready to hand over the boxes of documents related to his case. The problem with this, according to some conservative legal experts, is that defendants are not supposed to discuss their cases in public. Ed Morrisey, Managing Editor of HotAir, pointed out that Trump’s public statements could make it difficult for his attorneys to defend him in court.
TRUMP: “The only way NARA could ever get this stuff, this back, would be ‘please, please, please, could we have it back?" […]
BAIER: "Why not just hand them over then?"
TRUMP: "Because I had boxes, I want to go through the boxes and get all my personal things out. I don’t… pic.twitter.com/fTv615vD8N
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 19, 2023
Criminal defendants are not required to testify in court, but Trump chose to speak on national TV anyway. This could leave him open to cross-examination by prosecutors, who could use his public statements against him. Even private admissions can be used in court if witnesses are willing to testify to them. Law professor Jonathan Turley commented on the interview on Twitter, expressing concerns about Trump’s legal defense.
Brit Hume, a Fox News analyst, also expressed concerns about Trump’s confusing answers during the interview. Hume said it was not altogether clear what Trump was saying, but he seemed to believe that the documents were his and he could do whatever he wanted with them. Despite all of this, Trump insisted that he has “zero” worries about the case, citing the Presidential Records Act as his defense. Trump also pointed to a narrative of “weaponization of politics” and “weaponization of the White House” being used against him as a leading candidate.
A recent Harvard CAPS/Harris poll found that a majority of respondents believe the Trump indictment is politically motivated and interference by the Department of Justice in the 2024 elections. Despite this, Trump remains a leading candidate in the Republican primary and has a lead of +2.4 against President Biden. The second part of his interview with Bret Baier has yet to air, but many are already voicing their concerns about his legal strategy.
Source: Townhall
