During Donald J. Trump’s criminal trial, his defense team launched a vigorous attack on Thursday, painting him as a victim who had been manipulated by two unethical lawyers into hush-money deals. However, prosecutors countered by playing a secretly recorded audio for the jury, featuring conversations between Trump and his former lawyer Michael D. Cohen regarding the financing of a hush-money deal with a former Playboy model.
The audio recording was played while a forensic analyst from the Manhattan district attorney’s office testified about the contents of Cohen’s phones. The witness, Douglas Daus, is expected to continue his testimony on Friday.
The recording aimed to challenge the defense team’s claims during the cross-examination of Keith Davidson, the lawyer for Stormy Daniels, a porn star who had threatened to disclose her encounter with Trump before the 2016 election.
Trump’s lawyer, Emil Bove, accused Davidson of extorting celebrities and claimed that Cohen, who made a hush-money payment to Daniels, was a sycophant seeking a White House position. Trump later reimbursed Cohen for the payment, labeling it as “legal expenses” for the Trump Organization.
These reimbursements form the basis of the 34 felony charges against the former president. Additionally, the judge, Juan M. Merchan, addressed Trump’s violations of a gag order during the trial, imposing a $9,000 fine for previous infractions and reserving judgment on the latest statements.
