Over the past week of testimony in Donald J. Trump’s criminal trial, prosecutors have been presenting their case, with two key witnesses taking the stand within days of each other. Michael D. Cohen, Mr. Trump’s former personal lawyer and fixer, testified for over nine hours, alleging that the $130,000 payment to the porn star Stormy Daniels to silence her story of a sexual encounter with Mr. Trump was made at the former president’s direction and to benefit his 2016 campaign. Defense attorneys attempted to portray Mr. Cohen as a liar seeking revenge against his former boss, while questioning Ms. Daniels about her credibility and the details of the alleged encounter.
Mr. Trump, the first American president to face prosecution, is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with reimbursements to Mr. Cohen for the payment to Ms. Daniels. Prosecutors claim the scheme was an attempt to cover up a scandal involving Mr. Trump. The former president denies engaging in any sexual encounter with Ms. Daniels or having knowledge of the payment. If convicted, he could face probation or up to four years in prison.
During her testimony, Ms. Daniels described threats she received to silence her story, and defended the authenticity of her account. She was questioned aggressively by Mr. Trump’s lawyers, who accused her of profiting from the scandal. Madeleine Westerhout, an assistant to Mr. Trump, also testified, offering a positive portrayal of the former president as a family man who is misunderstood by the public. She shared Mr. Trump’s contact list, which included prominent figures like Bill O’Reilly and Jerry Falwell Jr.
Mr. Cohen testified that all actions regarding the hush-money payment were conducted at Mr. Trump’s direction, and that the plan to disguise reimbursements as legal expenses was devised with Mr. Trump present. He described a period of damage control following the disclosure of the payment, during which Mr. Trump reassured him and advised him not to speak to the media. Despite eventually distancing himself from Mr. Cohen, Mr. Trump allegedly maintained a back channel of communication through another lawyer connected to his circle.
Following the F.B.I. raid on Mr. Cohen’s home in 2018, Mr. Trump reportedly told him not to worry as he was the president and everything would be okay. Mr. Cohen also testified that a lawyer connected to Mr. Trump’s circle advised him to stay silent, not cooperate, and not “flip” on the former president. Mr. Cohen later pleaded guilty to federal crimes related to hush-money deals, turned against Mr. Trump, and is now the key witness in the case against him. The trial continues as both sides present their arguments and evidence in court.
