In a surprising turn of events, Donald Trump’s legal team, known to have been ardent supporters of the MAGA agenda that has downplayed the seriousness of COVID-19, have been raising concerns over the risk of COVID-19 exposure at their ongoing New York fraud trial. Analysis points out the underlying motive – delaying the trial proceedings which, as of now, seem to be increasingly unfavorable for them. The possibility of corporate “death penalty” has been suggested, adding to their unease.
Reportedly, Trump attorney Chris Kise requested a delay in the trial, given that some members on the board of the Attorney General’s legal team tested positive for COVID-19. As per Daily Beast’s account, Kise complained about the lack of timely notification and raised concerns over the risk of infection. Alina Habba, another Trump lawyer, joined in and voiced reluctance over using the same microphone as the AG’s office representatives.
The Attorney General’s office confirmed that it had adhered to all CDC guidelines around isolating, testing, and masking. Despite the Trump legal team’s request, Judge Arthur Engoron ordered to proceed with the trial proceedings, further offering masks to all participants. Interestingly, none of the members of Team Trump opted to wear a mask, pointing to the paradoxical, layered nature of their concerns.
This update was initially published by Kathryn Rubino, a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Her analysis underscores that the pleas for COVID-19 precautions by Trump’s legal team appear more as tactics for legal maneuvering than genuine concerns over the rising pandemic risk.