Trump’s crushing fraud trial defeat is a microcosm of a life defined by breaking all the rules
CNNFeb 17
Trump Fined $355M in Fraud Case
The Facts
A New York court on Friday fined former US president Donald Trump over $355M — plus interest — in his civil fraud case. It also barred him from top positions in New York firms, including his own Trump Organization.
This verdict wraps up a monthslong nonjury trial stemming from a state investigation into alleged systematic fraud by the Republican frontrunner and his financial team to gain access to low-interest financing deals with lenders before he became president.
The Spin
Anti-Trump narrative
The New York court has dealt a humiliating blow to Trump's carefully crafted image of being a gifted businessman who has run an empire through charm, glitz, and smarts. At the same time, it has shown that the judicial system is indeed able to constrain this irrepressible figure who risks damaging American unity and democratic institutions.
Pro-Trump narrative
Everyone knew from the onset that Trump would be punished harshly in this politically motivated trial, especially as the former president had been declared guilty before the trial even began. Democrats may be celebrating now that they've proved Trump has a propensity for exaggeration, but all they've really done is shown Americans the justice system is rigged against him.
Narrative C
If recent trends are anything to go by, this defeat is only going to bring more wind under Trump's wings. Trump seems to gather more support among voters every time he's saddled with litigation — along with less public trust in the legal system — and this time is unlikely to be any different.
Nerd narrative
There is a 60% chance that Donald Trump will be convicted of at least one count in his federal court cases before the end of 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.