When former federal prosecutor Todd Blanche joined Donald Trump’s defense team about a year ago, it was widely assumed that the former president’s prospects were, both politically and legally, hopeless. Barring an unexpected turn of events, the only trial Trump will face this year is the case brought by Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg. Blanche seems to have convinced himself that it is possible to represent Trump without becoming a Trump lawyer. But Trump has a way of co-opting his counselors. As the Manhattan case moved toward trial, Blanche’s court filings took on an aggressive tone that echoed his client’s rhetoric. Blanche wrote a public letter to Bragg — another former Southern District colleague — accusing him of engaging in “corrupt tactics” and “tyrannical conduct.” Meanwhile, the former president is already preparing the ground for a post-conviction campaign. The day the trial began, he posted a video to his Truth Social account, using footage of him walking into the courthouse to depict him as a legal gladiator.