Trump's Adult Children Attend Court During Hush Money Trial; Melania and Ivanka Absent

Donald Trump sat in the Manhattan courthouse on Tuesday, listening to closing arguments. He was joined by three of his adult children and their spouses, marking the largest family gathering since his hush money trial began six weeks ago.

The presence of his family members highlighted those who were noticeably missing from his side: his wife and eldest daughter.

The former president is currently awaiting a jury verdict, but Melania Trump and Ivanka Trump have not yet shown up to support him as he faces 34 charges. Jared Kushner, Ivanka's husband and a key advisor to Trump during his time in Washington, has also not attended the trial at 100 Centre Street.

In contrast, Eric Trump has been seen multiple times standing by his father in the Manhattan courthouse. Despite recovering from knee surgery, Donald Trump Jr. has made a few appearances as well. Recently, Eric's wife, Lara, joined them, along with Trump's youngest daughter, Tiffany, and her husband, Michael Boulos, making their first appearance together.

During a break in the closing arguments, Trump’s eldest sons criticized the credibility of Michael Cohen, the prosecution’s key witness, and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who was behind the case against Trump. They also targeted Robert De Niro, who had spoken on behalf of President Joe Biden’s campaign outside the courthouse earlier that day.

Trump Jr. mentioned that De Niro "needs attention because it’s been a while since he’s cranked out a good movie." He emphasized that they believe the case is a political persecution, pointing to the Biden campaign holding a rally at the courthouse as evidence.

The Trump family's presence in New York reflects how they handle the attention from his third White House bid. Despite being less active compared to previous campaigns, Eric Trump has been seen at campaign events and legal proceedings. Trump Jr. has made occasional appearances on the campaign trail and hosts a show on Rumble TV where he discusses his father's policies and interviews loyal supporters. Lara Trump remains heavily involved in her father-in-law's political activities and has recently been appointed as the co-chair of the Republican National Committee, taking over from Ronna McDaniel.

Melania Trump has not been seen at any Trump rally or in public alongside her husband. The Trump campaign did not provide a response when asked if she will be joining him for any of the final days of his trial. Sources close to the situation find it understandable that the former first lady has not made any appearances or comments regarding the allegations at the center of the case.

Trump is facing accusations of making illegal payments to silence Stormy Daniels, a porn star who claimed to have had a sexual encounter with him just one year into his marriage with Melania Trump. Reports of this alleged encounter and the subsequent payments came to light while Trump was in the White House, causing embarrassment to Melania and putting strain on their marriage. Testimony during the trial also included details about another alleged mistress, Playboy centerfold Karen McDougal, who has stated publicly that she had an eight-month affair with Trump while Melania was pregnant with their son Barron.

Ivanka Trump's absence from the Manhattan trial comes as no surprise to many who are close to the former president. The public distancing of both her and Kushner from Trump's latest presidential campaign was already a sign. A source connected to the campaign mentioned that there is still a possibility of the couple making a joint appearance before the verdict is announced. Despite their previous roles as senior advisers during his presidency, Ivanka Trump declared that she will not be participating in the 2024 campaign. Her reason being that she wants to prioritize her family and focus on her young children.

In her own words, Ivanka Trump expressed her love for her father and her decision to prioritize her family life over politics this time around. She stated, "I love my father very much. This time around, I am choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family. I do not plan to be involved in politics."

One person close to Trump mentioned that Ivanka was worried about her children being exposed to the public attention from their famous grandfather.

"When Ivanka Trump was working at the White House, her children were young and may not have fully understood the situation," the source explained. "Now that her kids are older, they are more aware of everything that is happening."

After leaving the White House, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner faced social backlash in some circles due to her father's policies and behavior as President. This led the couple to relocate from New York to Florida.

During a New York fundraiser hosted by Howard Lutnick, Kushner's parents, Charles and Seryl Kushner, were co-hosts. Towards the end of his presidency, Trump granted a pardon to Charles Kushner, a real estate developer who had previously served time in prison for various charges including tax evasion and lying to the Federal Election Commission.

Trump sometimes expressed frustration with the isolation he felt during his court appearances. He complained privately and publicly that his supporters were not showing up in the courtroom to support him. In response, Republican lawmakers, potential vice presidential candidates, donors, and allies started showing up in large numbers, creating daily speculation about who would come to support him.

Eric Trump was the first family member to attend the trial. He sat behind his father on the ninth day while a witness presented evidence linking Trump to a payment to Daniels.

On Tuesday, Eric Trump apologized to the jury while defending his father.

“This has been the greatest colossal waste of time,” he said.

CNN’s Kate Sullivan contributed to this story.

Editor's P/S:

The Trump family's presence at the Manhattan courthouse highlights the divisions within the family. While Eric, Donald Jr., Lara, and Tiffany have shown up to support their father, Melania and Ivanka have noticeably been absent. This absence speaks to the strain that the hush money trial has put on the Trump family, particularly Melania, who has been humiliated by the allegations of her husband's infidelity. Ivanka's absence, on the other hand, reflects her decision to distance herself from her father's political ambitions and prioritize her family.

The article also sheds light on the political maneuvering that has surrounded Trump's trial. The former president has complained about the lack of support from his allies, and in response, Republican lawmakers, potential vice presidential candidates, donors, and allies have started showing up in large numbers, creating daily speculation about who would come to support him. This shows that despite the serious charges against him, Trump still commands loyalty among some in the Republican party, who see him as a potential candidate for the 2024 presidential election.