After five weeks of the criminal trial of Donald J. Trump, the defense rested on Tuesday morning, with closing arguments and jury deliberations to follow after Memorial Day weekend. Despite teasing the possibility, Mr. Trump did not take the stand during the trial. Testimony included a variety of witnesses such as a tabloid publisher, a porn star, Mr. Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, and an erstwhile aide. Mr. Trump is facing charges of falsifying 34 business records to conceal a hush-money payment made to Stormy Daniels. If convicted, he could potentially face prison or probation.
One key takeaway from the 20th day of the trial was the defense’s decision to call Robert Costello as a witness to attack Mr. Cohen’s credibility. However, Costello’s performance on the stand was choppy, and prosecutors portrayed him as an agent of Mr. Trump attempting to prevent Cohen from cooperating with federal investigators. Despite the defense’s hope to damage Cohen’s credibility, Costello’s performance may not have achieved the desired effect.
Throughout the trial, Mr. Trump remained vocal outside the courtroom, frequently expressing his opinions about the trial and other matters. While he criticized the trial as “election interference” and impeding his campaign, he did not testify in court after teasing a potential appearance. Mr. Trump also faced backlash from violating a gag order multiple times, leading to a threat of jail time from Justice Merchan.
Republican politicians who visited the trial to support Mr. Trump demonstrated his pull over the party, with key figures coming to his defense despite the nature of the trial. Notable attendees included potential vice-presidential candidates, Republican lawmakers, and Mr. Trump’s sons. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson also criticized the trial as corrupt and a sham, highlighting Mr. Trump’s influence within the party.
Some key figures were notably absent as witnesses during the trial, potentially leaving gaps in the narrative presented. Witnesses like Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who claimed to have had an affair with Mr. Trump, were not called to testify. Additionally, figures like Keith Schiller, Mr. Trump’s bodyguard, and Dylan Howard, a former editor of The National Enquirer, were not included in the testimony despite their potential insights.
The culmination of the trial will include closing arguments on May 28, with jury instructions being finalized by Justice Merchan. Deliberations are expected to begin on May 29, making this the first criminal trial for an American president. The jury’s verdict will hold significant weight in this historic trial, which has captured the attention of the nation for weeks.
