Trump hush-money trial: lawyer for Stormy Daniels to continue testifying
Donald Trump is the first former US president to be tried on criminal charges – and could face prison if convicted. A jury of seven men and five women will weigh the allegation that Trump falsified the financial transaction behind the $130,000 hush-money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Trump denies 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in spring 2023.
Here’s what you need to know about the case and what happened today:
2 May: what happened at a glance
Keith Davidson is set to continue testifying in Donald Trump’s criminal trial on Thursday in Manhattan. Prosecutors want Davidson’s testimony to corroborate the upcoming testimony of Michael Cohen, a key witness in the case, who negotiated the deals on Trump’s behalf.
Earlier this week, Trump was fined $9,000 for violating a gag order imposed by Juan Merchan, the trial judge. Today, prosecutors will seek another $4,000 fine for four more alleged violations.
Yesterday, Trump used his break from court to return to the campaign trail – and used a campaign stop to repeat his attacks on the trial judge as “crooked”.
Earlier in the week, Keith Davidson – who negotiated hush-money deals on behalf of Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, both alleged to have had affairs with Trump – was questioned by prosecutors about texts in which he was asked whether Trump had cheated on his wife.
Key characters and facts
Trump hush-money trial status: Trump pleaded not guilty; the trial began on 15 April 2024.
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Charges: 34 felony charges of falsifying business records.
Hush-money case summary: The case involves a hush-money scheme during the 2016 presidential election. Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen paid $130,000 to the adult film star Stormy Daniels to quash her story about having an extramarital affair with the former president. Trump has denied the affair took place. Prosecutors accuse the former president of illegally reimbursing Cohen for the hush-money payment by falsely classifying the transaction, executed by the Trump Organization, as legal expenses.
Verdict before election? Likely.
Key moments in the trial so far
30 April: Trump fined $9,000 over gag order violations as judge warns of jail time
26 April: David Pecker’s testimony presented a granular look into a hush-money scheme that prosecutors allege was meant to sway the 2016 election in the real estate mogul’s favor.
25 April: David Pecker testified about his role in buying a story from the model Karen McDougal about an alleged affair with Trump.
23 April: David Pecker, the National Enquirer publisher, said he was Trump’s “eyes and ears” during the 2016 election campaign.
22 April: In its opening statement, the prosecution said Trump “orchestrated a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election” in his efforts to cover up an alleged affair with the adult film star Stormy Daniels.
19 April: The court finally chose all 18 jurors who will decide the fate of Donald Trump in his historic criminal trial.
18 April: Twelve jurors were selected for Donald Trump’s criminal trial after two seated jurors were removed earlier in the day.
16 April: Judge Juan Merchan admonished Trump for “gesturing and speaking in the direction of the juror” as jury selection continued in the second day of the criminal trial.
15 April: Trump’s hush-money trial began on Monday. He is the country’s first president – present or former – to face a criminal trial.
