Would cameras in the courtroom change Donald Trump's New York hush money trial?

Would cameras in the courtroom change Donald Trump's New York hush money trial?

Not long into the first day of Donald Trump’s historic criminal hush money trial, observers saw the former president’s chin fall to his chest as, eyes closed, his mouth went slack in an impromptu snooze at the defense table.

There were no cameras in the Manhattan courtroom to record Trump’s April 15 power nap. Audiences had to rely on the word of reporters who watched it happen. Nor were viewers − and voters − treated to a bracing 2016 recording, played in court on Thursday, of Trump and his former fixer Michael Cohen chewing over the $150,000 price tag for a former Playboy model's silence.

That wouldn't have been the case if Trump had been on trial in camera-friendly Georgia, where he faces state election racketeering charges. There, viewers were riveted to dramatic livestreamed hearings in February as Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis fought to save her case against Trump from tawdry conflict-of-interest allegations.

A born showman, Donald Trump has thrived in front of the camera, especially during his 14-season run as the reality TV star of "The Apprentice."

But the strict confines of an American courtroom − where a judge runs the show and the defendant is usually a silent onlooker − is another story.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter GuideWhat the public gets to see of the presumptive 2024 Republican nominee as he battles four criminal indictments stretching from New York to Palm Beach could have big impact on November's election, but whether a televised trial would hurt or help the former president is an open question.

Right now, many legal veterans say Trump benefits from the absence of cameras at the trial in lower Manhattan: Details of the celebrity businessman's purported affairs, his partnership with the National Enquirer supermarket tabloid and, yes, his mid-morning nap have all escaped turning into viral clips, GIFs and memes.

“Just think of the difference it would make in New York,” Court TV founder Steven Brill said. "You have Trump going out every day and saying the case has no basis and the witnesses are all liars."

With cameras in the courtroom, viewers could see the evidence themselves, Brill said, blunting “Trump’s spin on it.”

Trump on Trial:'What have we done?' Stormy Daniels' attorney texted

Others don't think cameras would hurt Trump's electoral prospects − even the New York trial, which hinges on his attempts to pay off adult film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal ahead of the 2016 election after both claimed to have slept with him.

It would help him a great deal," said New York political consultant George Arzt. "He would dictate rhetoric to his lawyers that would be more flamboyant than ever. I think it would delay the trial.”

No cameras? 'I would be shocked'

The clearest view of Trump on trial will come from an Atlanta courtroom − if District Attorney Fani Willis' election racketeering case survives ongoing challenges. "If the press is interested in a case in Georgia, they can have a camera there," said Chris Timmons, a former Atlanta prosecutor.

Trump transcripts free to the public

In a nod to the historic nature of the hush money trial and sky-high public interest, New York’s court system has agreed to release daily transcripts of the first-ever prosecution of a former president. Previously, daily transcripts could only be obtained at great expense, usually by law firms and the press.

The move “changes the way we think about transparency,” white-collar defense attorney Ann Cortina Perry told USA TODAY. “There is a lot that can come out in a transcript