Trump’s lawyers dance for him when he’s in the courtroom. At a criminal trial, that could torpedo his chances of winning.

According to Kaplan, "As a lawyer, being able to filter what a client says to you in court as things are happening in real time can be a challenge. I think that when it comes to Donald Trump, that was a particularly difficult challenge. Not only did his lawyers seem to be very aware that he was there, but he seemed to be actively involved in what they were saying and what strategy they were employing before the judge and the jury."