Sleepy Donald and the Seven

Published in Die Presse
(Austria) on 17 April 2024
by Thomas Vieregge (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Kirsty Low. Edited by Michelle Bisson.
So much for Sleepy Joe. Donald Trump dozed off during his trial.

The defendant is making his displeasure known. He has been reduced to silence for hours on end while others call the shots in the dilapidated courtroom in downtown Manhattan and judge him rather than the other way around — an unfamiliar world for the former president. No gimmicks, no glamour, no pomp: Donald Trump is out of his comfort zone in court.

In his hometown, he is presenting himself as "Grumpy Don," or rather, as "Sleepy Donald." The 77-year-old has been dozing off during the sleep-inducing proceedings — the very thing he persistently accuses his rival in the White House of doing. It is a highly difficult task to select jurors who are as unbiased as possible toward a politician who deeply polarizes the nation. After all, you either love him or you hate him.

Seven jurors — a biblical number — have been selected for the time being.* Melania Trump, the absent first lady, doesn't want to be caught off guard in the extremely embarrassing Stormy Daniels case and refuses to testify. Her spouse is playing the sympathy card: The trial timetable is preventing him from attending his son Barron's high school graduation in Florida, he complains. The judge will probably show mercy to the defendant — at least when viewing him in his role as a father.

*Editor’s Note: As of Friday, April 19, 12 jurors and one alternate had been selected.


Sleepy Donald und die sieben

Von wegen Sleepy Joe. Donald Trump ist bei seinem Prozess eingedöst.

Der Angeklagte demonstriert seinen Missmut. Dass er stundenlang zum Schweigen verurteilt ist, dass andere im heruntergekommenen Gerichtssaal in Downtown Manhattan das Sagen haben und über ihn richten statt umgekehrt – das ist eine fremde Welt für den Ex-Präsidenten. Kein Talmi, kein Glitzer, kein Pomp: Donald Trump ist vor Gericht außerhalb seiner „Komfortzone“.

In seiner Heimatstadt präsentiert er sich als „Grumpy Don“, als grantiger New Yorker. Oder besser: als „Sleepy Donald“. Im einschläfernden Procedere döst der 77-Jährige ein, wie er dies seinem Konkurrenten im Weißen Haus beharrlich unterstellt. Es ist ein höchst diffiziles Unterfangen, Geschworene zu nominieren, die möglichst unvoreingenommen gegenüber einem Politiker sind, der die Nation so sehr polarisiert: „Love him or hate him.“

Sieben Geschworene – eine biblische Zahl – haben sich einstweilen gefunden. Melania Trump, die verschwundene First Lady, will sich in der superpeinlichen Causa Stormy Daniels keine Blöße geben und sich der Aussage entschlagen. Ihr Gespons drückt auf die Tränendrüse: Der Prozesskalender verhindere eine Teilnahme an der Highschool-Abschlussfeier seines Sohns Barron in Florida, moniert er. Der Richter wird vermutlich Gnade für den Angeklagten walten lassen – zumindest in seiner Rolle als Vater.
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