How Donald Trump will seek to turn his Manhattan hush-money trial into political gold

“They view all of this, especially the New York cases, as sham political attacks masquerading as legitimate legal action,” Jennings said. “It will spike anger and engagement among the base.”

One thing seems certain: on Monday morning, Trump will enter the history books when he walks into a lower Manhattan courtroom and becomes the first former U.S. president to go on criminal trial.

For the average voter on either side of the political divide, however, the shock of seeing Trump at the defense table in a courtroom has become stunningly old hat.

He’s already been indicted in four separate criminal cases involving 88 charges in two states and Washington D.C. He even had a mug shot taken when he was booked on racketeering election interference charges in Atlanta.

Trump was also found liable for sexual assault and defamation of writer E. Jean Carroll. He was likewise found liable in state Attorney General Letitia James’ civil fraud case against him, for which he was ordered to pay an eye-popping $450 million penalty, plus interest.

In all those cases, Trump has followed a now-familiar blueprint. He fiercely attacks the judge, the prosecutors and anyone else involved in the case while loudly telling his loyal followers that he is being targeted for standing up for them.

Pundits say to expect more of the same at his criminal trial, where the stakes are potentially much higher for him because he could be imprisoned if convicted.

He will use the courthouse and the somber trappings of the criminal justice system as props to convey to his followers the urgency of backing his presidential bid and contributing financially.

For virtually any other candidate, it would be a huge problem to be stuck in a courtroom for weeks while his opponent is free to jet across the country holding campaign rallies.

That’s not necessarily so for Trump, who can use the media to grab seemingly limitless attention and take advantage of his own communications channels to get his message out regardless of where he is or what he is doing.

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