Photo: Brendan McDermid/Reuters

As Donald Trump’s civil trial for fraud began in New York City on Monday, I joined BBC Radio Ulster to analyze the case — and to warn about Trump’s disinformation circus to distract from and then bury the proceedings.

Listen to Discussion from 1:26.45

The BBC introduced our chat with a lengthy extract from Trump’s 7-minute performance outside the courthouse. I wasn’t having any of that.

As an analyst, I don’t care about Trump’s rant. What matters here is Trump inside the courtroom — if he has something to say, he should say it in his own defense against these multiple charges of fraud.

We’re going beyond unprecedented here — no former President has been indicted once, let alone four times, with 91 felony charges as well as this civil case….

My worry is that Donald Trump will lead the media by the nose by trying to take it outside the courthouse so you’re reporting every day on his attacks on the legal system….

This is Trump trying to turn the legal process into a political circus, where he’s the ringmaster cracking the whip.