MAGA supporters won’t stay silent over Trump’s hush money trial

What does it take to be called a “Soros paid provocator,” and get surrounded by people chanting “lock her up!” and “take your medicine!”? In Manhattan yesterday morning, it did not take much.

In this case, a petite woman in her sixties with cropped hair and neat little glasses had slithered into the crowd of Trump supporters, holding placards that read “Trump’s deceit is beyond reasonable doubt” and “Trump digs his own grave”.

Within seconds, she’d been chased out of the pen by, among others, a man carrying a placard that read “ALL GLOBALISTS PUPPETS have to go”. A group of young men nearby, including one wearing a MAGA yarmulke, watched the whole scene with a smirk, then returned to their conversation.

It had all been quite sedate until then, probably because the New York Police Department had set up two different areas for the protesters. It felt like a good idea. Yesterday was a big day in the criminal court, as the former president’s trial over alleged hush payments to a porn star and a Playboy model was finally due to begin.

In the end, little happened in the courthouse, as the defence and the prosecution spent the day attempting to select a total of 18 jurors and alternates, from a pool of over a hundred people. Most of the action took place outside.

“It’s an important moment for the United States,” said 39-year-old Joe, who’d travelled from Pennsylvania for the day with a 5-foot-long painted placard that read “LIAR”. “I think he’ll be found guilty. I’m not sure what kind of repercussions he’ll face, but we’ll see. I don’t see how he’s going to avoid it.”

Next to him was Joel, a 53-year-old who has been a police officer for 23 years. His message was targeted. “I’m absolutely disgusted that police officers in the United States still support and endorse Donald Trump, despite the fact his lies led to fellow police officers being assaulted and killed on January 6th,” he said. “I think it’s an abdication of our duty and our oath, and a stain on our badge.”

He is, for the time being, cautiously optimistic. “I absolutely believe that Trump will get trounced in the election. You’re not going to change the MAGA believers, no matter how many times he gets convicted, but the independents and the Reagan Conservatives, he’s losing way too many of those.”

And what do those MAGA believers think? Well, it’s complicated. Asked why he supports Trump, 68-year-old Gary said, without missing a beat, “because of World War 3”. “Donald Trump is trying to prevent it in the Ukraine, but they won’t let that message come out,” he added. “They want to drown out that message of peace.”

Who is “they?” It isn’t entirely clear, but “they”, according to Joel, also murdered JFK. As for the court case itself, “it’s a nothingburger – in other words, it’s a shiny object, a distraction” — presumably from WW3.

A middle-aged black woman next to him declined to be named, but said that “you can’t support abortion, that’s killing a kid. The Democrats are a death cult. Everything about them is death. Would I vote for a Democrat? Never.”

Still, the jewel on the orange crown turned out to be John, walking around wearing a t-shirt that screamed “GAYS FOR TRUMP” at the front, and added “if you don’t want to vote for Donald Trump you can kiss my gay white ass” at the back.

“I’m here because this great man is being judicially lynched, politically prosecuted for false charges. He supports gay rights, he supports gay marriage, he was the first president to ever appoint an openly gay man as head of US intelligence,” he said.

“The liberal media has pegged him as a homophobe, a transphobe, racist and misogynist – all lies! All propaganda! I am fed up with the insanity in this country. We cannot take in any more illegals.”

What followed was a lengthy, remarkably racist rant about migrants having thoroughly ruined New York City, and being enabled by the local Democrats. Where does John live? “In New Jersey”. Of course.

By the end of the day, both crowds had mostly disappeared. It is probably good for them to pace themselves: once the trial begins in earnest, it is expected to run for six to eight weeks. The circus has arrived into town, and it is here to stay.