Trump trial recap: Trump threatened with jail, ex-employees take stand in hush money case
Editor's note: This page reflects the news from Donald Trump's trial from Monday, May 6. For the latest news from Trump's hush money trial, please follow our live updates for Tuesday, May 7.
NEW YORK — The twelfth day of Donald Trump's New York hush money trial began with the judge threatening the former president with jail time.
Judge Juan Merchan opened proceedings Monday morning by telling Trump that the $1,000 fines for gag order violations evidently aren't deterring the former president. "Going forward," Merchan said, he will have to consider jail time for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. Merchan had issued nine $1,000 fines for each violation of the gag order barring Trump from commenting on the participation of potential witnesses or jurors with the intent to interfere in the trial. He added a 10th fine on Monday.
Following that dramatic start to the week, former Trump Organization financial controller Jeffrey McConney was called to testify about his role in arranging for Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen to be reimbursed for a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. That payment, and Trump's labeling of his subsequent payments to Cohen as legal expenses, is at the heart of Trump's trial in Manhattan Criminal Court for 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Deborah Tarasoff, a Trump Organization employee, was also called to the stand, addressing the business where she has worked for decades. The trial wrapped for the day after Tarasoff's testimony concluded.
Keep up with USA TODAY's live updates from inside and outside the Manhattan courtroom:
Trump says trial expected to last 2 to 3 more weeks
Former President Donald Trump railed complained Monday that his New York hush money trial is estimated to last another two to three weeks, according to prosecutors, which he called political interference for keeping him off the campaign trail.
“That means they want to keep me off the [campaign] trail for two to three more weeks,” Trump said.
The estimate came after court broke early for the day, about 4 p.m. Trump said prosecutors didn’t have another witness available.
“I thought they were finished today. They ought to finish today, if you look at what’s happening,” Trump said. “The judge is so happy about two to three more weeks because they all want to keep me off the campaign trail.”
Trump's trial is in its fourth week and initial estimates were for it to take six to eight weeks, so an additional two to three weeks is not longer than expected.
-Bart Jansen
Monday trial proceedings end
Judge Merchan called an end to the day's proceedings. The prosecution left the courtroom at about 4:21 p.m. EDT, shortly after Trump and his associates left.
– Aysha Bagchi
Judge sides with prosecutor on Trump social media post testimony
After jurors were excused, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass addressed Judge Merchan about the prosecution's desire to recall Georgia Longstreet, a paralegal in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office. Steinglass indicated the prosecution wants to bring her back to give more testimony about Trump social media posts. Longstreet testified last week about some Trump social media posts, which she tracked down online.
It appears the prosecution and defense have already had some kind of heated exchange on the issue that wasn't in front of reporters in the audience. Steinglass said he doesn't like the impression being left that the prosecution is "somehow sandbagging" the defense about who the witnesses are. Steinglass said they may not have all the information on the order that witnesses will be called, but they have had the prosecution's full witness list for a long time. Trump defense lawyer Todd Blanche disputed that claim.
Merchan instructed the prosecution to give the defense at least 24 hours notice before she re-takes the stand, but under that condition, he will allow her to testify again. Before getting that instruction, Steinglass said the prosecution isn't planning to call Longstreet back until Thursday or Friday.
– Aysha Bagchi
Testimony from Tarasoff concludes
Trump defense lawyer Todd Blanche ended his brief questioning of Trump Organization employee Deborah Tarasoff, whose testimony focused on checks she helped facilitate to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen based on invoices Cohen submitted.
Tarasoff has been allowed to exit the courtroom and the jurors have been excused for the day, but the lawyers and judge are still discussing some issues.
– Aysha Bagchi
Tarasoff says she wasn't present for Trump signing checks to Cohen
Trump lawyer Todd Blanche asked Trump Organization employee Deborah Tarasoff to confirm that she didn't know what Trump did at the White House, or wherever he was, when he signed checks we have been shown today from 2017. The checks were made out to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen. Tarasoff confirmed that was right.
Tarasoff also agreed that her knowledge about a process she described earlier of using Federal Express to get the Trump signatures was limited to knowing that process was used.
– Aysha Bagchi
Cross-examination of Tarasoff begins
Prosecutor Christopher Conroy ended his questioning of Tarasoff, in which he largely had her testify about documents surrounding a series of payments to Michael Cohen in 2017. Trump lawyer Todd Blanche is now questioning Tarasoff.
– Aysha Bagchi
Accounting testimony is critical to prosecution's case
Much of the testimony from today has been about accounting records for payments to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen. Jurors have appeared attentive – and some are taking notes – even if the testimony may have seemed dry compared to the details we heard last week about hush money payments and the 2016 Trump campaign's electoral concerns.
Still, today's testimony is crucial to the prosecution's case. We have seen a series of checks purportedly from Donald Trump to Michael Cohen. They form a central part of prosecutors' narrative that Trump was reimbursing Cohen for a $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels and falsifying records about it.
– Aysha Bagchi
Prosecutor reviews missed Michael Cohen invoice
Prosecutor Christopher Conroy asked Deborah Tarasoff to confirm a document Conroy says he missed earlier was indeed an invoice from Michael Cohen for two $35,000 payments, one for May, 2017 and the second for June, 2017. Tarasoff confirmed that it was.
– Aysha Bagchi
Trump enters courtroom after short break
Former President Donald Trump reentered the courtroom at about 3:43 p.m. EDT after a short afternoon break, flanked by his defense team and a handful of associates, including his son Eric and lawyer Alina Habba. The prosecution was in a huddled discussion during the break. Deborah Tarasoff has just returned to continue her testimony.
– Aysha Bagchi
Checks signed by Trump sons and Weisselberg correspond to Trump trust
The two checks with signatures that Tarasoff testified belong to Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Allen Weisselberg correspond to payments Michael Cohen received from The Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, according to testimony and documents from earlier today. All three men held major roles with a trust that Donald Trump said in early 2017 would hold his assets during his presidency. Donald Trump was responding to concerns about potential conflicts of interest as he held sway over government and also was head of a real estate business empire.
Checks we've seen today that were made out to Cohen later in 2017 were tied to Donald Trump's personal account, and according to earlier testimony, bore his personal signature.
– Aysha Bagchi
Why is Trump on trial?
Prosecutors claim Donald Trump falsified records to conceal that he was reimbursing his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, for a $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. Daniels has said she had sex with the real estate mogul shortly after his wife, Melania Trump, gave birth to their son, Barron. Trump denies Daniels' claim, and has pleaded not guilty in the case.
The charges are felonies, as opposed to misdemeanors, because prosecutors claim Trump falsified the records in order to conceal violating federal election laws through a payment that was meant to help his 2016 presidential campaign but exceeded campaign contribution limits.
The payment was made less than two weeks before the 2016 election. Prosecutors also allege the records were falsified in order to violate New York tax and election laws.
– Aysha Bagchi
Don Jr.'s signature is on $35,000 check to Cohen: Tarasoff
Jurors just saw a $35,000 check to Michael Cohen from March, 2017. The check itself contains a statement that two signatures are needed on amounts over $10,000. Below that notation, there are two signatures. Tarasoff said the top signature belongs to Donald Trump Jr., while the bottom signature belongs to former Trump Organization chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg.
– Aysha Bagchi
Eric Trump's signature is on $70,000 check to Cohen: Tarasoff
Prosecutor Christopher Conroy showed jurors a February, 2017 check from a Trump-associated trust account for $70,000. It appeared to be a payment to Michael Cohen corresponding to his invoice for two $35,000 payments, one for each of January and February of 2017.
The check itself stated that two signatures are needed on amounts over $10,000. Below that notation, there are two signatures. Tarasoff testified she recognized those signatures: the top one belongs to Eric Trump, while the bottom one belongs to Allen Weisselberg.
Eric Trump is still in the courtroom, seated in one of the benches reserved for the defense and security, behind the defense table.
– Aysha Bagchi
Prosecutor asks Trump Organization employee about Michael Cohen invoices
Prosecutor Christopher Conroy showed jurors an email they already saw earlier today. It was former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen's email with an invoice for $35,000 payments for both January and February of 2017. Tarasoff is explaining how she helped facilitate payments to Cohen.
– Aysha Bagchi
What is a gag order?
A gag order restricts parties in a legal case from sharing certain information about a case publicly. A judge must balance the right to free speech and the court's interest in preserving the integrity of the trial when issuing such orders.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office had asked for a gag order that would restrict Trump's comments outside of court in order to protect potential witnesses and jurors. He argued that Trump had "a long history of making public and inflammatory remarks” about people in other lawsuits.
Judge Juan Merchan granted the request in March, and expanded it in April to include family members of the judge or Bragg.
Trump claimed to reporters Thursday evening that he cannot testify in the case because of the gag order. But the gag order applies only to certain "extrajudicial statements," meaning comments made outside of court. Merchan explained that to Trump Friday morning.
– Kinsey Crowley & Aysha Bagchi
Only Trump could sign checks for his personal account, Trump Organization employee testifies
Tarasoff said only Donald Trump could sign checks from his personal "DJT" account in 2016 and 2017. In response to a question from prosecutor Christopher Conroy, she said that's still true today.
Testimony from earlier today indicated that several $35,000 checks to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen – which prosecutors say were reimbursing Cohen for a hush money payment – came from Trump's "DJT" account.
– Aysha Bagchi
Weisselberg 'had his hands in everything,' new witness testifies
Tarasoff described working closely with Allen Weisselberg, the ex-chief financial officer of the Trump Organization. She said she worked with him a little less than with McConney, however.
Prosecutor Christopher Conroy asked what Weisselberg's management style was? "He had his hands in everything," Tarasoff replied.
– Aysha Bagchi
Tarasoff worked closely with executive Jeffrey McConney
Deborah Tarasoff said she has a high school education, and entered the workforce after high school. For much of her time at the Trump Organization, she worked closely with Jeffrey McConney, she said. McConney was the business's controller, a position that involves overseeing accounting practices.
– Aysha Bagchi
New witness for prosecution: Deborah Tarasoff
Trump Organization employee Deborah Tarasoff has been called to the witness stand. Tarasoff said she has worked there for 24 years. She said she is here with her attorneys, who are being paid by the Trump Organization. Her current title is "accounts payable supervisor," she said.
– Aysha Bagchi
Judge announces break for lunch
Judge Juan Merchan announced a break in the proceedings for lunch. We should have a new witness testifying at about 2:15 p.m. EDT, unless other issues have to be taken up by the judge first.
– Aysha Bagchi
Questioning of Jeffrey McConney on financial arrangements with Cohen ends
Questioning by both sides of former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney ended, and McConney was allowed to leave the witness stand.
– Aysha Bagchi
McConney says he wasn't privy to conversations between Trump and Cohen, Weisselberg
Following cross-examination, prosecutor Matthew Colangelo asked McConney whether he was privy to any conversations between Trump and former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg about the $35,000 payments he helped facilitate to Cohen. McConney said he wasn't. McConney also confirmed he wasn't privy to conversations between Trump and Cohen, or between the two of them plus Weisselberg.
– Aysha Bagchi
Cross-examination of McConney ends
Trump lawyer Emil Bove has finished his cross-examination of former Trump Organization executive Jeffrey McConney.
– Aysha Bagchi
'Ok to pay as per agreement with Don and Eric': Trump lawyer highlights reference to agreement with Trump sons
Trump lawyer Emil Bove asked Jeffrey McConney about a response he got from Allen Weisselberg over email, after McConney asked Weisselberg to approve Michael Cohen's invoice for $35,000 payments for January and February of 2017. Weisselberg wrote, "Ok to pay as per agreement with Don and Eric," according to the email shown to jurors.
– Aysha Bagchi
Trump did not ask McConney to arrange alleged reimbursements to Cohen, McConney testifies
Trump lawyer Emil Bove asked McConney to confirm that Trump didn't ask the former Trump Organization executive to do any of the things he was describing in response to the prosecution's questions today. "He did not, " McConney said.
Earlier today, McConney said he helped facilitate a series of $35,000 monthly payments to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen based on a conversation with the Trump Organization's then-chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg. Weisselberg said Cohen needed to be reimbursed, McConney testified. McConney also testified that Trump's personal signature was required for many of the checks to Cohen.
– Aysha Bagchi
McConney says he had few conversations with Donald Trump
Trump lawyer Emil Bove began his cross-examination by trying to distance his client from McConney and from the actions McConney has been describing. McConney confirmed to Bove that he had few conversations with Donald Trump ever, and McConney didn't talk to Trump directly about the expenses he has been describing today that involved Cohen.
– Aysha Bagchi
Cross-examination of McConney begins
Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo passed Jeffrey McConney over to the defense as a witness. Trump defense lawyer Emil Bove has begun questioning the former Trump Organization executive.
– Aysha Bagchi
Trump-signed government ethics form reported Cohen 2016 expenses repaid in 2017
Jeffrey McConney testified that a government ethics form that constituted an annual report for 2017 reported expenses incurred by Michael Cohen in 2016 and repaid to him in 2017. The "category of value" of the reimbursed expenses was listed as ranging from $100,001-$250,000. McConney said he recognized Trump's signature on the form, which was dated May 15, 2018.Language just above the signature included a line stating that the signer was certifying the statements in the form were true and complete to the best of the signer's knowledge.
– Aysha Bagchi
Trump lawyer Alina Habba seated next to Eric Trump
Alina Habba, who represented former President Donald Trump at his two most recent trials, is in the courtroom, seated beside Eric Trump on the first row of benches behind Trump's defense table. Habba was a colorful and sometimes dramatic lawyer at the two trials, one dealing with civil fraud allegations brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, and the other dealing with a civil defamation lawsuit brought by advice columnist E. Jean Carroll.
Federal Judge Lewis Kaplan repeatedly chided or reproached Habba at Carroll's January trial. He responded to one of her questions at the trial: "This is not my law school examination." At another point, he explained a ruling that one of her questions to a witness was inappropriate by saying: "It's evidence 101."
– Aysha Bagchi
$315,000 to Cohen straight from 'DJT' account, McConney says
Colangelo and McConney discussed a document showing what McConney said were the two accounts from which the 2017 checks to Cohen were cut. The document indicated, and McConney confirmed, that the January-March $35,000 monthly payments were from a trust associated with Donald Trump, while the March-December payments of the same amount were from a "DJT" account, which McConney at one point referred to as Trump's "personal" bank account. Colangelo has referred to "DJT" as the name of a company.$105,000 in total came from the trust account, while $315,000 came from the DJT account, McConney said.
– Aysha Bagchi
Testimony resumes after a short break
Jeffrey McConney is resuming testimony after a short morning break. McConney is testifying about checks sent to Michael Cohen in 2017. The invoices from Cohen totaled $420,000 in 2017, McConney confirmed. McConney and prosecutor Matthew Colangelo previously went through how that figure was reached, including hiking up the amount to account for taxes.
– Aysha Bagchi
Cohen's later invoices don't mention amount, but McConney understood it to be $35,000
We are continuing to go through invoices Michael Cohen sent for payment, as prosecutor Matthew Colangelo gets all the emails into evidence for the jury's consideration.
Cohen sent invoices for monthly payments starting with July of 2017 that no longer mentioned a dollar figure, but McConney said he understood the amount to be $35,000 per month based on Cohen's prior invoices as well as on McConney's conversation with Weisselberg in January of that year about needing to reimburse Cohen. We have just seen an invoice for December of 2017.
– Aysha Bagchi
Prosecutor shows more emails on monthly payments to Cohen
Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo is continuing to display emails related to monthly payments to Michael Cohen. We have just seen an invoice Cohen sent for $35,000 for each of May and June of 2017.
– Aysha Bagchi
'DJT needs to sign check': email from McConney to Cohen
McConney just testified about an email response he sent to Michael Cohen, after Cohen emailed him on March 28, 2017 asking about whether McConney saw his $35,000 invoice for the month of March. McConney responded:
"Yes I'll check status tomorrow. DJT needs to sign check."
McConney testified "DJT" was Donald Trump, and a request needed to be sent to the White House because Donald Trump needed to sign off on the payment.
– Aysha Bagchi
Prosecutor shows Cohen's invoice for March, 2017
Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo has now shown an invoice Cohen sent for a $35,000 payment for March of 2017.
– Aysha Bagchi
Cohen invoice email references 'retainer agreement' but McConney says he never saw one
Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo showed jurors emails between McConney and Cohen in which McConney asked Cohen for a formal invoice for $35,000 monthly payments for January and February of 2017.
Colangelo then showed an email from Cohen to McConney with a typed-out invoice addressed to Allen Weisselberg, the Trump Organization's then-chief financial officer. The email said:
"Dear Allen, Pursuant to the retainer agreement, kindly remit payment for services rendered for the months of January and February, 2017."
The email referenced $35,000 for each month.
Asked whether he ever saw a retainer agreement, McConney replied: "I did not."
This is significant for prosecutors because they say these payments were reimbursements for hush money to Stormy Daniels, not the "legal expenses" they were labeled.
– Aysha Bagchi
Eric Trump in courtroom again
Eric Trump, the middle son of Donald Trump, is again in the courtroom today. Eric Trump attended proceedings on April 30 as well. He is seated in the front row of benches behind his father's defense table.
– Aysha Bagchi
Formal document shows Cohen $130,000 paid to Stormy Daniels' lawyer
Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo has been asking McConney about a document labeled "ACCOUNT ACTIVITY." A line on the document indicates Cohen wired Stormy Daniels' lawyer $130,000, and there are some handwritten notes that McConney says were related to repaying Michael Cohen.
– Aysha Bagchi
Former Trump executive describes learning Michael Cohen needed to be reimbursed
Jeffrey McConney, former controller at the Trump Organization, said he learned at some point that Cohen needed to be reimbursed through a conversation with Allen Weisselberg, the company's former chief financial officer.
Prosecutors have alleged Cohen was reimbursed through a series of payments for wiring $130,000 as hush money to Stormy Daniels' lawyer in late October of 2016, less than two weeks before the 2016 presidential election.
– Aysha Bagchi
More: Would cameras in the courtroom change Donald Trump's New York hush money trial?
More: Who’s who in the Trump hush money trial? Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels could be key witnesses
McConney testimony moves into Michael Cohen
McConney's testimony is moving into his history with Trump's former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen. He said he knew Cohen from the Trump Organization. Asked what Cohen's position was, McConney responded that Cohen would say he was a lawyer. It was a strange expression that drew chuckles in the courtroom.
Many people have said negative things about Cohen at this trial so far. Former Trump aide Hope Hicks said on Friday that Cohen sometimes called himself "Mr. Fix-it," but Hicks used to say Cohen only fixed something because he first broke it.
– Aysha Bagchi
McConney testifying on Trump approval for invoices
Jeffrey McConney, the Trump Organization's former financial controller, is testifying about getting Trump's approval for certain invoices. The purpose of the questions isn't yet clear, but it could be groundwork for the prosecution's allegation that Trump was sending checks to Michael Cohen to reimburse him for a $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, and was falsely labeling those checks as legal expense payments.
During opening statements in the trial, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche denied the checks were reimbursements to Cohen for the hush money.
– Aysha Bagchi
More: 'What have we done?' Stormy Daniels' lawyer thought hush money helped Trump get elected
Trump held in criminal contempt for 10th gag order violation
In warning Trump this morning that he will be jailed for future gag order violations if it's both "necessary and appropriate," Judge Merchan held Trump in criminal contempt a 10th time. That ruling from this morning can be seen on the Manhattan criminal court's website.
Merchan is holding Trump in criminal contempt for the 10th time based on his comments about the jury during a phone interview with a TV program called, "Just The News, No Noise."
According to a transcript the prosecution supplied to the court, Trump said during the call:
"But this judge, uh, said that I can't get away from the trial. You know he's rushing the trial like crazy. Nobody's ever seen a thing go like this. That jury was picked so fast — 95% Democrats. The area's mostly all Democrat. You think of it as a — just a purely Democrat area. It's a very unfair situation that I can tell you."
Merchan said he couldn't find beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump violated the gag order on three other occasions alleged by prosecutors. The judge said two of those alleged violations may constitute protected political speech, while a third may not have constituted a veiled threat against a witness.
– Aysha Bagchi
Trump Organization is paying for McConney's lawyer
Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo is asking McConney introductory questions. McConney just said he left the Trump Organization in February of 2023. However, he is represented by a lawyer whom the Trump Organization is paying for as he is testifying now, he said. McConney has not had any conversations with Donald Trump himself since retiring, he said.
– Aysha Bagchi
More: Who is Judge Juan Merchan? What to know as Donald Trump's hush money trial continues
Donald Trump spent Sunday at the Hard Rock Stadium in Florida
Trump was among the list of celebrities who attended the third annual Formula One Miami Grand Prix at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Sunday.
Surrounded by security, he was seen being escorted through the stadium tunnels and at one point, stopped to wave at the media.
?Sudiksha Kochi and Safid Deen
Jeffrey McConney is next prosecution witness
The prosecution has just called Jeffrey McConney to the witness stand. McConney is the former controller for the Trump Organization.
– Aysha Bagchi
Trump will be jailed for future gag order violations 'if necessary and appropriate,' judge tells him
Judge Merchan opened proceedings by telling Trump that the $1,000 fines for gag order violations evidently aren't deterring the former president. Therefore, "going forward," Merchan said he will have to consider a jail sanction.
Merchan noted Trump is a former president and said, "There are many reasons why incarceration is truly a last resort." Merchan specifically said he worries, if he jails Trump, about court officers and the Secret Service, as well as about the "broader implications." Merchan said the "magnitude" of such a decision "is not lost" on him, but Trump's violations threaten to interfere with the fair administration of justice.
As much as he doesn't want to impose a "jail sanction," he wants Trump to know he "will if necessary and appropriate," Merchan told Trump directly.
– Aysha Bagchi
More: Freezing temps and colorful characters: Trump's hush money trial from the inside
'Are you listening Israel?' Heading into the courtroom, Trump tells Israel he hopes it is 'getting smart'
Before entering the courtroom Monday, former President Donald Trump noted stories that said Columbia University canceled its graduation ceremony because of protests against Israel on the campus.
Trump quoted news articles saying campaign donors to President Joe Biden were also funding the protesters.
“Are you listening Israel?” Trump asked. “I hope you’re listening Israel. Hope you’re getting smart.”
--Bart Jansen
Trump ignores question about whether he’ll testify
Former President Donald Trump blasted the judge again Monday before entering the courtroom, but ignored a reporter’s question about whether he would testify at his hush money trial.
Trump was also asked whether his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, was a liar, one of his common descriptions. But Trump said he couldn’t speak about Cohen because of Judge Juan Merchan’s gag order against commenting on potential witnesses.
“As you know, they’ve taken away my constitutional rights, so I’m not allowed to answer that question,” Trump said.
Reporters in Miami over the weekend asked Trump about the trial, but he said he couldn’t answer them either.
“I have to say I’ve got a gag order,” Trump said. “I can’t speak about it. Never happened before, ever.”
--Bart Jansen
'Good morning Mr. Trump'
Judge Juan Merchan entered the courtroom at 9:27 a.m. EDT for Day 12 of Donald Trump's criminal trial. As usual, Merchan said "Good morning" generally to the prosecution and defense teams, and a specific "Good morning, Mr. Trump" to the former president.
– Aysha Bagchi
Trump's $9,000 gag order fines paid
We are still waiting for Judge Juan Merchan to rule on prosecutors' allegations that Trump has violated the gag order in this case four additional times. That ruling could come today.
However, Merchan has already ruled Trump violated the order nine times, and on Friday a court spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY that the $9,000 in fines for those violations have been paid.
Merchan held Trump in criminal contempt as part of the earlier gag order ruling, and warned the former president that future violations could mean jail time.
– Aysha Bagchi
What does Trump’s trial schedule look like?
Trump’s hush money trial is expected to last six to eight weeks, according to a media advisory from New York’s Unified Court System. The courtroom normally opens at 9:30 a.m. eastern time, and the court takes off on Wednesday’s.
Judge Juan Merchan ruled Tuesday that court will break on May 17 so Trump can attend his son Barron Trump's high school graduation, and on May 24 due to a juror scheduling conflict.
-- Sudiksha Kochi
When does the Trump trial resume?
The court is expected to reconvene Monday morning at 9:30 a.m., where testimony in Trump’s hush money trial will resume.
Though a witness will take the stand Monday, it is not clear who that person will be.
Last week, former Trump spokesperson Hope Hicks got emotional on the stand as Trump lawyer Emily Bove began asking her questions on cross-examination.
Previous witnesses in the trial includeFormer National Enquirer boss David Pecker and Keith Davidson, a lawyer who previously represented porn starStormy Daniels and model Karen McDougal.
-- Sudiksha Kochi
Trump Media auditor fined $12 million for ‘massive fraud’: SEC
The accountants for Donald Trump’s media company Truth Social were charged with “massive fraud” and fined millions of dollars, but Trump’s company wasn’t charged with wrongdoing, the Securities and Exchange Commission said.
BF Borgers and its owner, Benjamin Borgers, were charged with fraud that affected 1,500 SEC filings, including those of Trump Media, the SEC said. The company agreed to pay a $12 million civil penalty and Borgers agreed to pay $2 million, and both agreed to stop auditing.
Borgers didn’t properly prepare or maintain audit documentation, fabricated audit planning meetings and sometimes passed off previous audits for current ones, the SEC said.
“Trump Media looks forward to working with new auditing partners,” the company announced in a statement.
--Bart Jansen
Why did Hope Hicks start crying?
Hicks' emotional breakdown Friday happened soon after Trump lawyer Emil Bove began to ask her introductory questions. It wasn't clear what caused her emotions. It could have been facing questioning by the lawyer for her former boss, who could be imprisoned if convicted. It could also have been that something in the prosecution's earlier questions and her responses was sinking in.
Just before Bove started his cross-examination, Hicks said in response to a prosecutor's question that Trump has asked her how a post-2016 election story about Michael Cohen's payment to Stormy Daniels "was playing."
"I think Mr. Trump's opinion was it was better to be dealing with it now, and that it would have been bad to have that story come out before the election," Hicks said.
That is significant testimony for the prosecution, which is arguing that Trump committed felonies when he allegedly falsified business records because the purpose of the falsification was to cover up violating campaign finance laws through the $130,000 hush money payment. Trump may argue the payment wasn't about the election at all, but was instead designed to shield his family from an embarrassing story.
– Aysha Bagchi
What is Trump on trial for?
Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors allege he was covering up unlawfully interfering in the 2016 presidential election through a $130,000 hush money payment from his then-lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, to porn star Stormy Daniels. Daniels says the two had sex shortly after Melania Trump gave birth to Barron Trump, a claim the former president denies.
– Aysha Bagchi
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump trial recap: Trump faces jail and his employees testify