Trump fixer Michael Cohen to testify Monday at hush money trial
Trial kicks off with another bench meeting
The judge is seated but before the jury was brought in, the prosecution asked for a bench meeting.
Madeleine Westerhout, who was Trump’s executive assistant in the White house, is set to return to the stand.
Day 14 of the trial brought more Stormy Daniels testimony, new witnesses and Trump’s office habits
Attorneys for Trump sought to pierce Stormy Daniels’ credibility and motive yesterday, casting the adult film actor as someone whose retelling of their alleged sexual encounter was rife with inconsistencies and driven by a desire to harm him.
Trump’s lawyer Susan Necheles asked Daniels on the stand in Manhattan criminal court in New York City about making “a lot of money” from her story over the years, striking deals worth a million dollars or more. She also needled Daniels over the different ways she has described the encounter in magazine and prime-time interviews, as well as in the courtroom.
Daniels pushed back, saying that while she made a living speaking out against Trump, “I was not selling myself to anyone.”
Daniels’ story is a key component of the prosecution’s hush money case against Trump. The bid to silence her in the waning days of the 2016 presidential race came as Trump’s campaign feared he could not withstand further damage after a recording of him talking about inappropriately “grabbing” women threatened to derail his candidacy.
Spotted at the courthouse: Andrew Giuliani
Andrew Giuliani, a former Trump White House aide who later ran for New York governor, strode past the press line to enter the courthouse this morning.
Giuliani has been vlogging the trial, sharing live commentary on social media and in interviews on talk radio and Steve Bannon’s War Room.
He is also the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was previously a lawyer for Trump and has been indicted alongside the president in a separate criminal case on charges related to the efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Trump heads to court
The former president has left Trump Tower and is headed downtown to the courthouse for Day 15 of his hush money trial.
Key witness Michael Cohen to testify Monday
Michael Cohen will begin his testimony in the Trump hush money trial Monday, NBC News has learned through multiple sources. He is expected to be on the stand for several days.
Cohen is at the center of the case as the one who paid Stormy Daniels the $130,000 hush money to keep her quiet about her alleged affair with Trump toward the end of the 2016 presidential campaign.
Stormy Daniels payment puts focus on Trump and check-writing as trial testimony resumes
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Trump’s criminal trial will resume today in New York City with testimony from his former White House executive assistant — a far friendlier witness than yesterday’s star attraction, adult film actor Stormy Daniels.
Madeleine Westerhout began her testimony in Manhattan criminal court yesterday afternoon, after Daniels spent the morning sparring with Trump attorney Susan Necheles during cross-examination about her claim that she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. Trump lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet about the allegation during the 2016 presidential election. Trump later reimbursed Cohen in payments prosecutors charge were covered up with falsified business records. Trump has pleaded not guilty and denied Daniels’ claim.
Daniels got emotional at one point as Necheles asked her about various mean posts about her on social media accounts, including one from a person who’d referred to her as an “aging harlot.”
Necheles began her cross-examination of Westerhout yesterday, as well, but with a far gentler touch.
Lawyers for Trump continued their cross-examination of Stormy Daniels in the New York hush money trial. NBC News’ Yasmin Vossoughian reports on how the defense is grilling Daniels on her motives for accepting the hush money and potential inconsistencies in her story.
What to expect today
Former White House executive assistant Madeleine Westerhout is expected to return to the stand when witness testimony resumes today. Court is scheduled to be back in session at 9:30 a.m.
Westerhout testified yesterday about Trump’s organizational habits and his attentiveness when she would deliver checks for him to sign. She has spoken glowingly of her former boss.
Separately, an employee from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is expected to testify about Trump’s social media posts.
Here’s what you missed in court yesterday
Stormy Daniels was on the stand yesterday for her second day of testimony, where Trump’s attorneys sought to call her credibility and motivation into question.
Separately, a former Trump White House executive assistant and a former Trump Organization employee took the stand. Madeleine Westerhout, the former assistant, testified about Trump’s organizational habits. Trump Organization employee Rebecca Manochio testified about his involvement in handling checks.
Another witness, HarperCollins executive Tracey Menzies, testified to the accuracy of sections of a book by Trump that her company published.
After the jury was dismissed for the day, Judge Juan Merchan denied two motions brought by Trump’s team: one to loosen Trump’s gag order, and another seeking a mistrial.
