Donald Trump arrived at a New York courthouse to hear prosecutors explain why his alleged cover-up of a hush money payment to a porn star during his 2016 campaign broke the law, as the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president begins.

Manhattan

### Opening Statements Underway in Trump Trial in New York

Donald Trump has arrived at a New York courthouse where the opening statements of his trial are taking place. The trial revolves around allegations concerning a hush money payment to a porn star during his 2016 campaign. This event marks the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president.

Prosecutors are set to highlight why they believe Trump’s actions, specifically the concealment of a payment, violated the law. The trial entered its fifth day with the beginning of weeks of anticipated testimony, focusing on the former president's personal life.

At the center of the case is a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, which was facilitated by Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer. This payment was allegedly made to prevent Daniels from publicizing her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump. Prosecutors argue that this was an attempt to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential race by silencing potentially damaging stories.

Trump has responded to the allegations by denying the sexual encounter and pleading not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The prosecution asserts that the payment to Daniels was part of a wider catch-and-kill strategy, involving Trump, Cohen, and David Pecker. Pecker, the former CEO of American Media, was purportedly tasked with suppressing negative stories about Trump as part of this strategy.

The trial is expected to feature at least 20 witnesses and could last between six to eight weeks. Legal experts regard this case as less consequential among the various prosecutions involving Trump, noting that a guilty verdict would not prevent him from holding office in the future. However, it is acknowledged that such an outcome could have implications for his political career.



Opening statements underway in Trump trial in New York

Day five of Trump's hush money criminal trial marks the start of weeks of testimony set to come on the former president's personal life, as prosecutors deliver their opening arguments. Trump is accused of falsifying internal business records as part of an alleged scheme to silence stories that could have been damaging to his 2016 presidential campaign. At the heart of the allegations, a $130,000 payment made to porn actor Stormy Daniels by Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, to prevent her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump from surfacing in the final days of the presidential race. Trump has denied the sexual encounter and pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors have said the Daniels payment was part of a broader catch-and-kill scheme hatched by Trump, his former lawyer, and David Pecker. The former chief executive of tabloid publisher American Media is set to be the first witness called after opening statements, according to CNN and the New York Times. According to prosecutors, Pecker agreed in 2015 to act as the campaign's eyes and ears by looking out for negative stories about Trump. Prosecutors plan to call at least 20 witnesses in a trial that could last six to eight weeks. The case is seen by many legal experts as the least consequential of the Trump prosecutions. The guilty verdict would not bar him from taking office, but it could hurt his candidacy.

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