'Tap dance' by Trump lawyers betray his deep fear of getting tossed in jail: expert

Donald Trump has flouted the gag order in his hush money trial, and presiding judge Juan Merchan has warned that he's now risking jail time, but MSNBC's Lisa Rubin isn't buying the ex-president's bluster about getting locked up.

The former president has compared himself to Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in South African prisons before leading his nation out of apartheid, but Rubin told "Morning Joe" that she doesn't actually believe he'll wind up behind bars – even if he seems to desperately fear that possibility.

"There have been some preliminary conversations between Secret Service, corrections officers and the court itself," Rubin said. "It is not clear whether the Secret Service is prepared to or would leave Donald Trump's side. Preparations would have been to be made if the time comes. For anybody hoping to see Donald Trump in an orange jumpsuit shipped off to Rikers Island for criminal contempt for violating the gag order, I can assure them now, that's probably not how this will go down at all."

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Although the chances of Merchan imposing jail time seems remote, Rubin said, Trump's legal team is working hard to keep him out of lockup.

"I want to say, I fully agree Donald Trump doesn't want to spend 24 minutes in jail, let alone 24 hours," Rubin said. "That's evident by how hard [attorney] Todd Blanche has tap-danced to assure Judge Merchan [that] Trump didn't knowingly or voluntarily violate the gag order. You wouldn't do it if your client wants to go to jail to show something to his supporters."

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