Most defendants, when trying to deny a accusation against them, do their best to behave in ways that differ from the crime they've been charged with. Defendants in murder cases try to present as humble people who have never acted in anger. People charged with theft will act like hard-working citizens who have only ever earned an honest dollar. Most men indicted for sexual abuse or assault will surround themselves with female supporters while claiming to be too tender-hearted to hurt a woman. The goal of defense attorneys is generally to make their client seem incapable of the vicious crime they're accused of.
Not Donald Trump, however. In what is now the second trial regarding his sexual assault and repeated defamation of journalist E. Jean Carroll, Trump has embraced the novel strategy of acting exactly like a cartoonishly evil villain on an episode of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." Despite repeatedly whining about how much time he has to spend in court, Trump has shown up in court, even though he doesn't have to, just to intimidate not just Carroll but the jury members.
