Melania Trump was missing from Donald’s trial – here’s what legal experts say it means for the ex-president

Because the trial of Donald Trump over hush cash funds to a porn star heads into its remaining stage, Trump’s spouse Melania Trump has been noticeably absent from the courtroom. 

Over the course of 5 weeks, a sequence of Trump supporters together with Republican lawmakers, former administration officers, vice presidential hopefuls and some of his personal children have been in courtroom. 

They’ve sat via hours of salacious testimony because the ex-president stands trial on 34 counts of falsifying enterprise information associated to a hush cash cost for pornstar Stormy Daniels.

Melania Trump, nevertheless, has remained distant from the New York prison courtroom room residence in Florida.

Authorized specialists inform DailyMail.com that whereas it’s typically useful for a jury to see defendants with their partner by their aspect within the courthouse, on this distinctive case it would not matter. 

‘Typically talking, jurors take note of who’s seated within the courtroom,’ defined Anna Cominsky, Managing Legal professional of New York Legislation College Authorized Providers. 

‘Protection attorneys often wish to have ‘assist’ for his or her consumer evidenced by family and friends – it is one thing that humanizes the consumer. That stated, it is a very totally different case. The jurors know that that is the previous president.’

Cominsky additionally identified that this explicit courtroom is ‘fully filled with folks from each side.’ She stated it makes it arduous for the jury to tell apart who’s there for whom.

Berkeley Legislation professor John Yoo additionally stated he didn’t assume her absence issues a lot and will maybe have a profit to the protection.

‘I may see how some jurors would ask the place Melania Trump was. Maybe her presence would present her assist for Trump’s story that his fling with Stormy by no means occurred,’ he added.

‘However her presence would additionally purchase into the prosecution’s underhanded effort to make the trial about Stormy [Daniels], and never about whether or not any bookkeeping misdemeanors occurred and whether or not they hid some better crime.’ 

Yoo argued Trump’s protection workforce has performed a very good job of attacking the failure of the prosecution to show its case on the legislation. He stated they had been good to maintain the give attention to that and never alleged affairs.

Cornell legislation professor Randy Zelin believes nobody would care and ‘it will look contrived anyway.’

On Tuesday, each side are set to offer closing arguments earlier than the case goes to jury for deliberations. 

Whereas Melania has not traveled to New York to face by her husband’s aspect as he got here face-to-face with Daniels or others testifying in regards to the hush cash cost, the previous first woman has been noticed alongside aspect her embattled husband elsewhere.

Earlier this month, the 2 sat side-by-side at their son Barron’s highschool commencement in Florida and the previous first woman was seen smiling and clapping as Barron’s identify was referred to as. 

Courtroom in New York was recessed early for the week so the ex-president may attend. 

Former First Girl Melania and Trump had been all smiles on the ceremony as their son Barron graduated from highschool on Could 17

Melania attended the Republican fundraiser hosted by billionaire John Paulson that raised greater than $50 million as Trump runs for a second time period within the White Home

The Trumps arriving to vote in Florida on March 19. When requested if she can be becoming a member of Trump on the marketing campaign path she responded ‘keep tuned.’ The previous first woman has not attended any of Trump’s 2024 rallies or main election night time celebrations to this point

Melania was additionally in attendance final month in a surprising purple jumpsuit for a marketing campaign fundraiser hosted by John Paulson in Florida the place the ex-president raised greater than $50 million for his presidential bid.

The previous first woman jumped again into politics to talk at a fundraiser for the pro-conservative LGBT group Log Cabin Republicans final month.  

However she has not hit the marketing campaign path for her husband as he holds rallies in battleground states throughout the nation or celebrated his main nights in early contest states.

When requested if she can be becoming a member of him on the marketing campaign path in March whereas becoming a member of her husband to forged ballots within the Florida GOP main, Melania responded ‘keep tuned.’ 

DailyMail.com has inquired with the Trump marketing campaign about any future plans for Melania to hit the marketing campaign path. 

Whereas Melania has not been noticed in courtroom, each of Trump’s older sons Don Jr. and Eric and his daughter-in-law Lara Trump have been in attendance for a few of the many hours of testimony.

His sons might be seen arriving and leaving the courtroom with their father’s giant entourage and sitting a couple of rows behind him within the courtroom.

His grownup daughters Ivanka and Tiffany Trump’s names have come up within the testimony through the hush cash trial, however they haven’t appeared within the courtroom to assist their dad. Each reside in Florida.

Trump’s son Eric and daughter-in-law Lara Trump returning to the courtroom from a break within the hush cash trial on Could 14

Eric Trump has been a daily within the Manhattan prison courtroom to assist his father. Right here he’s returning to courtroom behind the previous president and lawyer Todd Blanche on Could 6

Don Jr. wanting on within the Manhattan prison courtroom as his father speaks earlier than the media on Could 21

Don Trump Jr. talking in assist of is father with different Trump supporters exterior the Manhattan prison courtroom on Could 21

Even with out Melania’s assist within the courtroom, her identify has surfaced throughout testimony from a number of witnesses.

Throughout her days of lurid testimony, Daniels recalled Trump telling her in 2006 earlier than their alleged sexual encounter that Trump instructed her the couple slept in separate bedrooms.

Michael Cohen claimed Trump was not frightened about Melania leaving him over the Daniels affair story and even claimed the then presidential candidate stated ‘how lengthy do you assume I will be in the marketplace for?’

However different witnesses painted an image of a really totally different relationship between the previous first couple throughout testimony.

Stormy Daniels leaving the Manhattan prison courtroom on Could 9 after testifying on her alleged affair with Trump and the hush cash cost in Trump’s trial

Madeleine Westerhout leaving the Manhattan prison courtroom after testifying within the Trump hush cash case. Westerhout served as Trump’s govt assistant whereas he was president

A sketch of Westerhout breaking into tears on the stand as she testified about her regretful motion that led to her exit from the Trump White Home. She additionally testified about observing Trump and Melania’s ‘particular’ relationship up shut

Trump and Melania departing the White Home to board Marine One a final time in January 2021

Trump’s White Home govt assistant stated throughout her tearful testimony that Donald and Melania had a ‘particular’ relationship.

Madeleine Westerhout instructed the courtroom she believed that they had a relationship of mutual respect and Trump cared lots about Melania’s opinion. 

‘There was nobody else who may put him in his place,’ Westerhout testified. 

She additionally recalled Melania texting her asking when Trump can be developing for dinner whereas they had been within the White Home and Trump calling Melania from the Oval Workplace whereas he was president to speak.