Prior to the Department of Justice officially indicting Donald Trump for his actions before, during, and after the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol building, the former president had already started telegraphing to his rabid supporters that federal charges were most likely coming. According to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, this narration of his legal problems is all part of his tough guy act.
“He loves to project bravado,” Haberman told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins after the third Trump indictment was revealed on Tuesday. “He also loves to be in control, and have every moment that happens in his life exist, on his terms. And so, that’s why he has tried to narrate his own indictments, over the three that have happened so far, his three and a half, if you count last week.”
However, Haberman claimed that “privately” the former president is not handling his latest indictment well. Via Mediaite:
Behind-the-scenes, he’s very angry. He is much more rattled than he is projecting being, again, as you say everything with him is about appearances. And he wants to give up the appearance that everything is fine. He is very upset. Folks around him are very upset.
According to Haberman, Team Trump is extremely concerned about the other conspirators listed in the indictment, and what they might be telling prosecutors to save their own skin.
“On the one hand, they were relieved reading this indictment that there were not more details that they didn’t know that were in it,” Haberman told Collins. “On the other, there was a reference to six co-conspirators. And that raises questions about will anyone else face charges? And will more details be revealed if that happens?”
(Via Mediaite)