Trump trial: Stormy Daniels tells (almost) all about alleged encounter with Trump

Proceedings will get underway this morning on Day 13 of former President Trump's criminal hush money trial.

Two longtime Trump Organization employees took the stand yesterday to testify about their roles in executing a string of 2017 payments to Michael Cohen in order to reimburse him for a $130,000 hush payment to Stormy Daniels.

Jurors for the first time saw the business records associated with those transactions, which prosecutors say were unlawfully falsified to hide their true purpose from voters.

Prosecutors told the judge at the end of the day that the state's case will likely take another two weeks to complete. That will be followed by the defense's case, and then the state's rebuttal.

As he departed the courtroom after Day 12 of his hush money trial, Trump expressed confidence in his defense team saying they are doing "very well."

Asked about the trial's timeline after prosecutors advised Judge Merchan that they expect to wrap their case two weeks from tomorrow, Trump told reporters, "The government just says that they want you three more weeks ... that means they want to keep me off the trail for two to three weeks now."

"I thought they were going to be finished today. And they want to do three more weeks in jujitsu and play right into the judges," Trump complained. "The judges are happy about doing three more weeks."

After being warned this morning by Judge Merchan that any future violations of the limited gag order could result in jail time, the former president continued to criticize the gag order that prevents him from targeting witnesses, jurors and others involved in the case.

"I have to watch every word I tell you people -- you asked me a question, a simple question, I'd like to give it, but I can't talk about it because this judge has given me this gag order say you'll go to jail if you violate it," Trump said. "And frankly, you know what, our Constitution is much more important than jail. It's not even close. I'll do that sacrifice any day."

-ABC News' Mike Pappano

Before Judge Merchan ended the proceedings for the day, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass flagged that the DA's office plans to recall a previous witness: Manhattan DA paralegal Georgia Longstreet.

According to Steinglass, Longstreet would testify about some additional social media posts from Trump, and text messages between National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard and Stormy Daniels' agent Gina Rodriguez.

Merchan consented to the plan, as long as defense lawyers get 24 hours' notice before calling Longstreet. She will likely testify again on Thursday or Friday, Steinglass said.

Steinglass also raised concerns about defense attorneys' complaints about the limited notice about the next witness and their relevant exhibits.

"I don't like the impression being left that we are somehow sandbagging the defense," Steinglass said, defending the practice of not disclosing their next witness, given Trump's recent violations of the case's limited gag order.

"The defendant has been violating the order restricting extrajudicial speech, and we don't want to have the next witnesses' names out there," Steinglass said.

"How are we doing on scheduling?" Merchan asked to conclude the day.

Steinglass told Judge Juan Merchan that the state's case will likely conclude two weeks from tomorrow.

"I would say about two more weeks," he said.

The defense's case will then follow.

With the introduction of People's exhibit 34, a check with Donald Trump's signature, the jury has now seen all 34 allegedly falsified invoices, ledger entries and checks, concluding the direct testimony of Trump Organization staffer Deborah Tarasoff.

Defense attorney Todd Blanche then carried out a brief cross-examination, during which Trump readjusted in his chair to get a better view of Tarasoff.

"You never had any reason to believe President Trump was hiding anything, correct?" Blanche asked Tarasoff at the end of his cross.

"Correct," she answered.

Tarasoff then stepped off the witness stand. Trump looked over toward her as she exited the courtroom, but the two did not interact.

Like earlier, Tarasoff smiled at Eric Trump on her way out of the courtroom.

Judge Juan Merchan then sent the jury home for the day.