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Jim Trusty (Photographer: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Donald Trump’s legal team has a tough row to hoe. Granted, they don’t exactly engender much sympathy since it was a decision they made all on their own, but one should at least recognize the shittiness of the job.

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The logical hoops Trump’s lawyer Jim Trusty has to jump through to justify the former president’s failure to comply with the subpoena seeking the return of classified documents he stored at Mar-A-Lago were on full display during an appearance yesterday on Meet the Press. You’ll recall, that while it’s come out that other presidents (and vice presidents) may have scattered classified documents like they’re Johnny Appleseed, Trump is the only one that refused to give them back. And that was the crux of Chuck Todd’s questions to Trusty: “He’s done with classified documents what no former POTUS has ever done… there was actual cooperation by those former presidents to deal w/the dispute. In this case, not only is he not cooperating…how do you explain him defying a subpoena?”

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Trusty’s… performance on the talk show was less than inspiring, calling the lead up to the obstruction the “Democratic narrative,” to which Todd pressed the flummoxed Trusty, “Why call it a Democratic narrative? It’s a set of facts.”

Chuck Todd to Trump lawyer Jim Trusty: "He's done with classified documents what no former POTUS has ever done… there was actual cooperation by those former presidents to deal w/the dispute. In this case, not only is he not cooperating…how do explain him defying a subpoena?" pic.twitter.com/k12K2P92zh

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 9, 2023

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But don’t worry, the most problematic client of them all approved of Trusty’s performance.

Trump is getting so much weirder over in the Truth Social silo. To the extent he was ever in his f—ing gourd, he is well and truly out of it now. pic.twitter.com/QvYsTEh4Zx

— Liz Dye (@5DollarFeminist) April 10, 2023

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Because of course he did.

You can check out the full episode below.

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Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on

Sponsored Sponsored The Global Legal News You Need, When You Need It News and analysis from this company could be a game-changer for legal professionals working globally. From Ethan Beberness   Sponsored You, Too, Can ‘Recession Proof’ Your Firm. Here’s How. With today’s practice management tech, it’s easier than you think. Download our free Practice Management Buyer’s Guide here. From Above the Law   Topics

Chuck Todd, Donald Trump, Jim Trusty, Television