May 29, 2024 1:44 PM
Trump’s allies and advisers believe every minute the jury continues to deliberate is a good thing for him.
From CNN’s Kristen Holmes
As former President Donald Trump’s team waits for the verdict, the prevailing thinking among his aides and advisers is that every minute the jury continues to deliberate is a win for Trump.
While the views from Trump’s inner circle are merely speculation and it’s impossible to predict how the length of time the jury deliberates will ultimately affect the verdict, it is clear how eager Trump’s allies are to search for signs of what the final outcome will be.
“The jury could have convicted him within 45 minutes. Every minute after that gives you more hope.” [for a hung jury]” one adviser said.
Trump’s advisers believe the jury’s decision will ultimately be a political one, and they’ve made that case: They’ve been distributing 2020 election results for New York County, with a breakdown of voter data that suggests at least 1 in 12 Manhattan residents is likely to vote for Trump.
And there are one or two jurors the Trump campaign is particularly hopeful will win a mistrial, based on what they’ve observed in the courtroom, a source familiar with the internal conversations told CNN. Pro-Trump observers in the courtroom told members of the Trump campaign that they’ve noticed some of the jurors behaving favorably toward the guests.
Trump aides are comfortable with the information but insist they’re not relying on half-smiles and nods. “We’re very aware that people may just be being polite. It may have nothing to do with the incident,” the source said.
CNN court reporters observed that the jurors generally participated actively and seemed to take their civic responsibilities seriously.
