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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums'Missing in action': Analyst sees Trump's 'family man' defense killed by Melania's absence
The failure of Melania Trump to make an appearance at the Manhattan courtroom where her husband Donald is facing 34 felony counts related to paying off an adult film star is hurting his defense in multiple ways. That's a claim made by analyst Amanda Marcotte in her column for Salon, where she said that the former first lady's absence is likely crippling a line of defense his lawyers would like to use to gain some sympathy from jurors.
As Marcotte noted, Trump's defense attorney Todd Blanche attempted to paint his client as an average married man no different than any other who was concerned about how revelations about his alleged affair would impact his family.
That, she claimed, fell flat when the former president's wife could not, or would not, show up in court as a sign of solidarity with her husband for the jury to see. As she noted, that was the least of his problems as the jury is being presented with Trump as an average "family man."
"It's not just the failed fashion model-turned-Mrs. Trump #3 who hasn't shown up in support. None of Trump's five children, or their spouses, have stood by his side in court, either. His two adult sons would rather spend time screening hypothetical future political appointments for 'loyalty' than bother to show their father any in-person care at court. His eldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, is posting photos of her fancy vacations rather than staying in New York with her father," she wrote.
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-melania-2667877368/
Freethinker65
(10,058 posts)Trump never has been a family man.
Trump lusted over his own underaged daughter. Is that a traditional family man value?
niyad
(113,581 posts)months prior.
He was fucking the Playboy Playmate while Melania was pregnant.
Celerity
(43,539 posts)niyad
(113,581 posts)LiberalFighter
(51,098 posts)I don't think he wants to ever be considered average.
IronLionZion
(45,534 posts)banging a porn star while Melania was pregnant with Barron is GOP family values.
bleedingulcers
(44 posts)and more than a bit misleading, given that most of the images that we have seen from that era seem to be characterized by a notable lack of clothing...
Farmer-Rick
(10,212 posts)A failed fashion model????? More like a successful sex worker.
Well, if successful sex work means nude poses with sexual and lesbian play, then "dating" ugly old rich men and marrying an old psychopath is successful sex work.
Not sure what the standard for successful sex work would be.
Cha
(297,693 posts)If she "modeled" herself bareassed.
birdographer
(1,340 posts)This article says that he now has 34 felony counts. It started at 91, dropped to 88, and now it is 34. Did I miss something? Has he been proven innocent of almost 2/3 of them?
Prof. Toru Tanaka
(1,983 posts)in this particular case?
TexasBushwhacker
(20,219 posts)The other criminal counts would be in the documents case in Florida and the election tampering in Georgia.
jmowreader
(50,562 posts)TexasBushwhacker
(20,219 posts)Katinfl
(158 posts)The rest are the documents case, the GA case, the Jan. 6 case. A few counts were dropped by the judge in the GA case. Went from 91 to 88 counts. If i remember correctly .
Wednesdays
(17,412 posts)but NO ONE from Smelvis' family is showing up!
Prof. Toru Tanaka
(1,983 posts)TSFs family members REALLY think of him.
Johnny2X2X
(19,118 posts)It's daming, it was a years long relationship outside of his marriage. And she was paid off 3 months before nthe 2016 election.
Chili Pepper
(102 posts)In my 64 years on this earth, I've never met anyone as despicable as he is.
And I've met plenty of despicable people!
calimary
(81,507 posts)Boy, THAT'S for sure.
I'm grateful to say I've known just a few despicable people in my life. And as bad as I thought they were, they don't even begin to compete with him. He wrote a whole new book's worth about being despicable.
PCIntern
(25,589 posts)Yeah...he reminds me of John Walton,Sr. on the TV program.
This guy was fucking a Playboy Model, a Porno Film Star, he has cheated on all three wives and that is what we KNOW ABOUT. Imagine what we DON'T know about...boggles the mind. And yes, I do know what some, including yours truly, suspect.
This guy, if he's a Family Guy is a Manson Family Guy.
Celerity
(43,539 posts)Dulcinea
(6,666 posts)Not his wife, his kids, or anyone else. Family man? I'm sure, as we used to say back in the day.
Of course, he doesn't care about them either.
SergeStorms
(19,204 posts)Yeah, he's the quintessential family man, playing catch with Don Jr., showing "gums" how to build a birdhouse, questioning Ivanka's dates about their intentions and demanding they have her home by midnight. And don't get me started on Barron! He's always smothered that kid with fatherly affection. Trump is the typical helicopter parent.
A Trump's three wives? They were so lucky to have a man like Donald as their spouse. Always being there for them whenever they needed a strong shoulder to cry on. Never had to worry if their husband had a wandering eye, let alone a wayward penis. Such lucky, lucky women.
What a pantload of poopy that is, huh? "Typical family man", my ass! He's the antithesis of a family man. His family was nothing more than an affectation to make him resemble a human being.
karynnj
(59,504 posts)If she were seen as kind and caring, not being there could be explicitly explained by Trump's lawyer as being too hurt and embarrassed by the women silenced who had affairs with her husband. But ... even that lacks the vote of confidence in her husband that quietly sitting there immediately behind her husband giving him support would provide.
There are two ways of considering the impact- on the jury and for the election. His base seems OK with Melania being a plastic First Lady Barbie, contributing nothing beyond that and not being a path to understanding a softer side of Trump. It is hard to recall any informal pictures of him with his grandkids. Imagine that of any other politician. For the election, their rather cold relationship is already baked in. As a former President who he is is already firmly known.
For the jury, Melania being there, looking typically bored and not connecting with him, might be as much a negative as a positive. Maybe she could wear her famous jacket! Not to mention, seeing her could remind jurors that she was a soft porn model who Trump cheated with when married to wife number 2. Given his history is it easy to believe she would be devastated to know he cheated?
Ping Tung
(699 posts)for a long stay.
NanaCat
(1,266 posts)To report on what Ms Marcotte has to say, when she is quite capable of speaking for herself. Everything that clickbait rubbish site has to say, she says here, and better:
https://www.salon.com/2024/04/25/wheres-melania-missing-wife-is-why-lawyers-cant-pull-off-the-family-man-defense/
Traurigkeit
(250 posts)hibbing
(10,109 posts)I mean, come on, facing this onslaught all by himself, just like the lone wolf he's portrayed as in those stupid Rambo like memes.
Peace
PatrickforB
(14,592 posts)when visiting disaster victims.
While I thought that was despicable, I can only imagine her sense of hope at getting 'out' of Eastern Europe and marrying a rich guy. Whether she loved Trump or not, she likely was eager to come and be his wife and even bear a child for him.
But when he cheated and 'won' the 2016 election, my take on Melania was that she was horrified and likely felt way out of her depth.
Then this whole thing ground on and she got to see how unpopular he was, and the violence on Jan. 6. And in the meantime, his health went downhill and he began having problems with incontinence. Imagine for a moment how absolutely gross it must have seemed to her, in her early fifties, to even be in the same room with Trump, let alone enduring sex with him.
Now, she sees that the man she thought would offer her a life of comfort is in the dock for his crimes, being charged with all kinds of crimes, and now he's nearly broke!
I do not think Melania ever had much in the way of feeling for Trump. She just saw him as an escape from poverty to a better life. Now she and her son will not have a better life because Trump is going down. Can you imagine how utterly disgusted with him she must be?
She was not a good first lady because she was utterly out of her depth, and Trump is essentially a noveau riche buffoon and I can imagine how ashamed of him she was as time went on.
The problem with this family, Jared, Ivanka, Eric and Don Junior, Lara Trump - all of them, is they are vicious, greedy and evil. Now they are all under attack. Mark my words, their turns will come because they are so corrupt. The full weight of consequences for their actions, as well as some in Congress, will be coming along.
What is that line from the poem?
The mills of the gods grind slowly, but they grind exceeding fine.
Over the next few years, I am beginning to think the GOP will be ground up. That party cannot last, not now. They are fighting a losing battle.
Tickle
(2,541 posts)if the lawyers thought it would help with public opinion and possibly a jury member. I have to assume that. The tRumps want their power back. They enjoyed the standing they once had especially when Daddy was president.