Echoing Their Client, Trump's Lawyers Pursue an Absolutist Defense

Donald J. Trump’s legal team presented their opening statement at his Manhattan criminal trial this week, highlighting his personal qualities as a husband and father. This approach reflects Trump’s influence on his lawyers and his firm belief in his innocence. The article discusses how Trump’s involvement in his defense could limit his lawyers’ ability to employ traditional tactics of conceding personal failings and focusing solely on weaknesses in the prosecution’s case. Instead, Trump’s legal strategy aligns with his political messaging, portraying the trial as an unjust attack on his character.