NBC News reporter Vaughn Hillyard said Tuesday that Trump's behavior in court is coming off as if he doesn't care — and the jury is noticing it.
Speaking to MSNBC, Hillyard said actions like shutting his eyes are sending a clear defiant signal to anybody watching.
"The eyes. We come back to the eyes being shut for two minutes at a time," Hillyard explained. "He would have his eyes shut this morning. Then he would open them quickly and mention something to his attorney, but then go back to his eyes shut. And, you know, I don't know whether he's sleeping or not. What was taking me aback was the defiance of the process."
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Hillyard noted that there is a gag order in place to restrict Trump's attacks on witnesses and the family members of court employees.
"He can't stand up and speak out in his own defense in that courtroom unless he takes the stand himself," he explained. "For him, keeping his eyes shut, almost, in a way, disregarding it. 'I don't care, about these proceedings,' with the jury right there, was his act of defiance."
New York Times reporter Susanne Craig agreed, saying that she's been in court every day watching the proceedings unfold and that, in the past, it has been clear that Trump was asleep at some points. At others, he's merely closing his eyes.
"It's not one day this happened. It is every day for 80 to 90% of the court proceedings, he has his eyes closed," she explained. "He will nod off, but that's not what's going on. His eyes are closed. I think it is an act of defiance to send a message. The jury is picking up on something there, but he doesn't care."
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'Act of defiance': Trump closing his eyes in court makes it seem like he doesn't care youtu.be
