Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial has adjourned for the weekend after a week that included fiery testimony from porn star Stormy Daniels.
Ms Daniels sparred with defense attorney Susan Necheles over alleged inconsistencies in her various tellings of the sexual encounter she alleges she had with Mr Trump. The adult entertainer and director remained calm and unflappable giving her account to the court.
On Friday morning, Madeleine Westerhout, Mr Trump’s “gatekeeper” and former director of Oval Office operations during his administration, concluded her testimony. Earlier, during Thursday’s session, she cried on the stand about being fired after fondly recalling her time working for the then-president.
Meanwhile, Judge Juan Merchan has rejected another mistrial motion from the defense and denied a request that the gag order imposed on Mr Trump be lifted to allow him to respond to Ms Daniels, who mocked him on Twitter by saying “real men” testify.
Ex-Trump “fixer” Michael Cohen is set to appear on Monday for his highly anticipated testimony. Judge Merchan instructed him to stop talking about the defendant in advance of his testimony.
Alex Woodward is covering Mr Trump’s trial and will be providing regular updates on proceedings.
A prediction proves accurate…
It’s usually episode ofThe Simpsons that predict the future, but today it fell to someone else entirely.
Lawyer, comedian and cable news contributor Dean Obeidallah made a solidly accurate prediction about one of the tweets shown to the court today, being proven right almost exactly six years ago to the day.
Then-president Donald Trump tweeted on 3 May 2018 at 6.46am:
Mr Cohen, an attorney, received a monthly retainer, not from the campaign and having nothing to do with the campaign, from which he entered into, through reimbursement, a private contract between two parties, known as a non-disclosure agreement, or NDA. These agreements are…..
This will be marked as an exhibit in trump’s criminal trial
Clearly, he saw the train coming down the tracks from a very long way off…
Oliver O’Connell11 May 2024 14:45
How did a porn star become one of the most powerful people in politics?
Io Dodds takes a look at how Stormy Daniels came to be at the centre of a political firestorm that has landed Donald Trump in court for a historic criminal trial…
How Stormy Daniels became one of the most powerful people in politics
Stormy Daniels was dancing her way through a ‘Make America Horny Again’ tour when news emerged that she had received hush money payments from Donald Trump. As those payments sit at the centre of Trump’s trial, Io Dodds explains how Daniels landed in the middle of a political firestorm
Oliver O’Connell11 May 2024 14:15
ICYMI: Here’s how Day 14 went down at Trump’s hush money trial
Another day in the Manhattan Criminal Court, another day of bombshell testimony.
As with most days of the trial, Mr Trump left the courtroom and angrily lashed out at the judge to the assembled media.
Here are our top takeaways from the fourteenth day of testimony in the historic criminal trial of the former president:
Oliver O’Connell & Alex Woodward11 May 2024 13:15
Georgia court agrees to hear Trump’s appeal of Fani Willis disqualification ruling
A Georgia appeals court has granted Donald Trump’s request for an appeal challenging the ruling that Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis can stay on the state’s election interference case against the former president and his allies.
The former president and eight of his co-defendants then filed for permission to appeal against the decision, calling the court’s refusal to disqualify her a “plain legal error”.
Oliver O’Connell11 May 2024 12:15
Jimmy Kimmel roasts Trump as he revels in details from Stormy Daniels’ testimony
Amelia Neath has the story:
Oliver O’Connell11 May 2024 10:15
RFK Jr says a worm ate part of his brain and then died inside his head
According to The New York Times, Mr Kennedy made the bizarre admission during a deposition held as part of his 2012 divorce proceeding.
Andrew Feinberg has the story:
Oliver O’Connell11 May 2024 08:15
Trump called out for ‘cursing audibly’ during Stormy Daniels testimony
Oliver O’Connell11 May 2024 06:15
Key takeaways from Stormy Daniels’ first day of testimony
The Manhattan jurors and Mr Trump alike sat, rapt, listening as she testified about how her meeting with the then-60-year-old real estate mogul at a celebrity golf tournament turned sexual.
Her testimony was so detailed — providing comments about everything from what the floor tiles looked like to Mr Trump’s Hugh Hefner-like pajamas — that the judge warned her to stop including any “unnecessary narrative.”
In the afternoon, the defense team also took issue with Ms Daniels’ testimony, calling for a mistrial. The judge denied the request.
For almost four hours on the 13th day of his hush money trial, Mr Trump was forced to listen to her memory of the romantic liaison that ultimately led to his alleged criminal activity.
The former president is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment to Ms Daniels before the 2016 presidential election in exchange for her keeping quiet over their alleged 2006 affair.
Here are the key takeaways from the dramatic day in court:
Kelly Rissman & Alex Woodward11 May 2024 04:15
Melania’s office walks back plans for Barron Trump to be delegate at Republican convention
Graeme Massie11 May 2024 03:38
ICYMI: Stormy Daniels shoots down Trump attorney’s claims she made up sex story
Over two hours of fierce cross-examination from Donald Trump’s legal team on Thursday, Stormy Daniels fought off attacks designed to undermine her credibility and cast her as a liar and opportunist.
Alex Woodward filed this story from the courthouse in Lower Manhattan:
Oliver O’Connell11 May 2024 03:15
