Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox
Get our free Inside Washington email
Donald Trump’s historic hush money trial has been turned over to the jury putting the first-ever criminal case against a US president in the hands of his fellow New Yorkers.
Deliberations began late on Wednesday morning and — after four questions from jurors regarding specific testimony — will continue on Thursday at 9.30am.
In closing arguments, defense lawyer Todd Blanche hammered the credibility of Mr Trump’s ex-“fixer” Michael Cohen, the trial’s star witness, labeling him the “GLOAT” (or “Greatest Liar Of All Time”) and listed 10 reasonable doubts about the case against the former president.
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass meanwhile methodically laid out the chronology of the case over a near-five-hour address, tying key pieces of “smoking gun” evidence together as he reminded the jury the case was about Mr Trump, not Cohen.
The defendant stands accused of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment made to adult entertainer Stormy Daniels in October 2016 to ensure her silence about a sexual encounter she alleges she had with him a decade earlier.
Mr Trump denies both the affair and the charges.
Alex Woodward is covering the trial for The Independent live from court.
Cop nearly killed on Jan 6 called Trump ‘authoritian.’ Hours later, his mom was ‘swatted’
Mr Fanone told NBC News that his 78-year-old mother opened her door to law enforcement officers and SWAT team members on Tuesday night after an individual sent a fake “manifesto” posing as Mr Fanone threatening to harm others and claiming he killed his mother.
The email, viewed by NBC News, included Fanone’s mother’s home address in Virginia.
Oliver O’Connell30 May 2024 06:00
ICYMI: Trump spreads more lies in bitter, all-caps screed ahead of deliberations
In an all-caps post on his Truth Social on Wednesday, he called the proceedings a “BIDEN PUSHED WITCH HUNT”, blasted the “KANGAROO COURT” and “CORRUPT” Justice Juan Merchan’s refusal to accept his “reliance on counsel” defense.
Oliver O’Connell30 May 2024 04:00
Veepstakes: Elise Stefanik files ‘misconduct’ suit against judge overseeing hush money trial
The House Republican Conference chairwoman wrote to Kay-Ann Porter Campbell, inspector-general of the New York State Unified Court System, calling for an investigation “to determine whether the required random selection process was in fact followed” when Judge Merchan was handed the case brought against Mr Trump by Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg last spring.
Joe Sommerlad has the story:
Oliver O’Connell30 May 2024 03:00
What the prosecution said about Trump in closing arguments
Mr Trump sought to rob voters of the truth, “to manipulate and defraud the voters, to pull the wool over their eyes in a coordinated fashion,” according to Mr Steinglass.
Alex Woodward reports from the courthouse:
Oliver O’Connell30 May 2024 02:00
Biden campaign mocks tongue-tied Trump reading from ‘emotional support paper’
Josh Marcus has the story:
Oliver O’Connell30 May 2024 01:00
What Trump’s defence said in closing arguments
Michael Cohen is “the human embodiment of reasonable doubt,” the “MVP of liars” and “the GLOAT: the greatest liar of all time,” according to Donald Trump’s defense attorney Todd Blanche.
Alex Woodward filed this report from the courthouse:
Oliver O’Connell30 May 2024 00:00
Could Elon Musk become a formal adviser to Trump if he wins the White House?
Musk, owner of Tesla and Twitter/X as well as founder of SpaceX, is reported by The Wall Street Journal to be in talks with the former president about an advisory role in a second Trump White House; a more official role than the one he is already playing as a voice on matters of tech policy in Trump’s ear.
John Bowden has the details:
Oliver O’Connell29 May 2024 23:30
Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary lays into Trump for ‘tainting the US brand’
Oliver O’Connell29 May 2024 23:00
Watch: Trump says a lot of witnesses were not called
…which is odd considering the defence only called one and could have called more. Donald Trump himself could have also testified.
Oliver O’Connell29 May 2024 22:45
Lincoln Project ribs Trump over charges
Oliver O’Connell29 May 2024 22:38
