Former President Trump’s criminal trial, in which he has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records, resumed after an eventful third week that involved key witnesses testifying. The charges against Trump stem from an investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office related to payments made to silence Stormy Daniels about an alleged affair with Trump before the 2016 election. The DA must convince the jury that Trump falsified business records in furtherance of conspiracy to promote or prevent election, though the charges on their own are misdemeanors. Witnesses, including Stormy Daniels’ former attorney Keith Davidson, provided conflicting testimonies about the purpose of payments made to her by Trump’s ex-attorney Michael Cohen.
During the trial, the jury heard from computer forensic analyst Doug Daus, who testified about examining Cohen’s cellphones and played an audio recording in which Cohen mentioned setting up a company to transfer information for “our friend David.” The defense played other audio recordings in which Davidson admitted Cohen did not need Trump’s authority to make the payment to Daniels. Testimony from bank executive Gary Farro revealed inconsistencies in claims about the purpose of Cohen’s account setup, with Farro stating there was no indication it would be used for political payments.
Additional testimony came from Hope Hicks, who worked for the Trump Organization and later served in various roles during the 2016 presidential campaign and in the White House. Hicks discussed Trump’s reaction to the “Access Hollywood” tape, in which he made controversial comments about women, and defended Trump against claims of an affair with McDougal. Hicks also criticized Michael Cohen, stating he tried to insert himself into campaign matters despite being instructed to focus on Trump’s business credentials. Trump was fined $9,000 for violating a trial gag order, with potential for additional fines for alleged violations.
Trump has criticized the trial as rigged and claimed it is coordinated with President Biden’s White House, calling it “election interference.” He views the gag order as unconstitutional and plans to appeal it, arguing it infringes on his First Amendment rights. Trump also called for the judge to recuse himself, alleging a conflict of interest. While the trial limits his campaign activities, Trump has taken advantage of non-court days to hold rallies and engage with supporters. Trump delivered pizzas to FDNY firefighters in Manhattan to honor first responders after a day in court.
