By Charles Switzer
9:22am PDT, Mar 19, 2025
Trump's Hush Money Trial
Donald Trump turned his 2024 hush money trial into a political spectacle, using it as a tool to energize his base and frame himself as a martyr fighting against a biased justice system,
Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump's Return to Power author
Alex Isenstadt exclusively shared with
RadarOnline.com. Despite facing serious charges related to falsifying business records, he saw the courthouse as a battlefield and an opportunity to strengthen his grip on his supporters, despite the precarious social attitudes of New York City.
"The former president wasn't confident about his prospects of winning the case," Isenstadt wrote. "This, after all, was New York City, and Manhattanites were more likely to spend the weekend at a hipster coffee shop than going to a Trump rally."
Here are four key takeaways from the scribe's new book.
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Trump's Jailhouse Fantasy: The Ultimate Act of Defiance
As the trial unfolded, then-former President Donald Trump also reportedly considered the idea of
going to jail as a potential political advantage.
Viewing himself as a martyr, he believed his imprisonment would only rally his base further. According to Alex Isenstadt, Trump convinced himself that a conviction wouldn't stop him from winning the presidency. Aides joked about prison life, with one cracking, "You wouldn't want to become some prisoner's girlfriend?"
The ex-head of state was not amused, as he saw this as a serious moment to solidify his narrative of persecution.
The Courtroom as the Campaign Trail
Donald Trump's campaign adapted to the
constraints of the trial by setting up a fully operational war room in an adjacent courtroom.
His team worked tirelessly to ensure he remained in the public eye despite being physically confined to New York. They arranged high-profile meetings with international figures, organized fundraising events and orchestrated unscheduled public appearances to create media buzz.
Meanwhile, his inability to campaign in key swing states put his team in a strategic bind.
Gag Orders, Violations and a Guilty Verdict
Throughout the trial, Donald Trump repeatedly violated gag orders by attacking witnesses and prosecutors on social media, prompting the judge to warn of potential jail time.
As the case neared its conclusion, Trump expressed little hope for acquittal fearing the damaging testimonies against him.
When the jury returned with a
guilty verdict on all 34 counts, it marked a historic moment — the first time a U.S. president had been convicted of a felony.
Trump Walks Free and Spins the Narrative
Despite the guilty verdict, and after
winning the 2024 presidential race, Donald Trump avoided jail time and fines, receiving an unconditional discharge.
The judge cited Trump's status as president-elect as a reason for the leniency, a decision that fueled both praise and outrage.
"I was kind of looking forward to a sitting president running the nation and free world from a makeshift prison cell," someone shared on X.
Trump quickly leveraged the outcome to bolster his political campaign, framing it as proof of a corrupt system out to get him. His supporters rallied behind him, and despite the conviction his grip on the Republican base remains as strong as ever.
