The fourth week of Donald Trump’s criminal hush-money trial in New York has concluded, with the prosecution indicating that they are close to resting their case. The prosecution continued to call witnesses on Friday, aiming to strengthen their argument that Trump intentionally falsified business documents to influence the 2016 election by concealing a hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels. Trump, denying any relations with Daniels, faces 34 felony counts as a result. His defense team claims he was trying to shield his family from embarrassment and has sought a mistrial.
Key takeaways from day 15 of the trial include the testimony of witnesses like Madeleine Westerhout who detailed Trump’s handling of business matters and technical witnesses who authenticated evidence. The prosecution tried to introduce a 1999 Larry King interview as evidence, but the judge ruled it irrelevant. Michael Cohen’s upcoming testimony is anticipated, despite controversies over his commentary on social media platforms like TikTok. The prosecution is nearing the end of presenting its case, with two more witnesses expected before potentially resting.
As the trial progresses, tensions between the defense and prosecution persist, with Trump calling the case a “scam” and claiming it is based on events from 2016. The trial is set to continue next week, although Trump has requested a day off to attend his son’s graduation.