Trump trial: Cohen faces Trump team grilling over past lies, recollections
The defense questioned Trump's former lawyer on Day 18 of the hush money trial.
Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City, where he is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges.
Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
Top headlines:
- No decision yet about Trump testifying
- Defense argues Cohen's lack of retainer agreement was not an issue
- Defense accuses Cohen of lying about Trump phone call
- Defense challenges Cohen on past perjury
- Cohen says Trump approved payment of $420K, paid monthly
- Jury hears secret recording of Trump discussing payment
What to know about the hush money case
READ MORE: Here's what you need to know about the historic case.
Trump arrives for proceedings
Former President Trump has arrived at the courthouse for today's proceedings.
This will be the final day of court this week, as court is off on Friday for Trump to attend his son Barron's high school graduation.
Cohen arrives at courthouse
Michael Cohen has arrived at the lower Manhattan courthouse for his testimony this morning.
Proceedings are scheduled to get underway at 9:30 a.m. ET.
Testimony is scheduled to conclude at 4 p.m., after which Judge Juan Merchan is scheduled to hear arguments from the parties about the bounds of potential testimony from a defense expert witness.
Defense to resume cross-examination of Cohen
Michael Cohen returns to the witness stand this morning, where the former Trump attorney is expected to face a full day of cross-examination.
Cohen, under direct examination earlier this week, described in-person meetings and phone calls with Donald Trump, who he said joined into an agreement with tabloid publisher David Pecker to catch and kill negative stories ahead of the 2016 election; approved a $130,000 hush money payment from Cohen to Stormy Daniels; and signed off on an arrangement to reimburse Cohen in 2017 using what prosecutors say were falsified invoices. Trump has denied all wrongdoing.
Defense attorneys are expected to question Cohen's credibility based on his past testimony and previous statements he has made in interviews, podcast and books.
Trump takes fight over gag order to NY's highest court
Former President Trump has asked New York's highest court to rescind the limited gag order that prevents him from commenting publicly about witnesses, jurors and lawyers in his ongoing criminal trial, according to a new court filing.
The filing is sealed, but is the next step after an intermediate appeals court yesterday upheld the order imposed by trial Judge Juan Merchan.
Trump has frequently attacked the judge, which is permitted, and has called the limited gag order unconstitutional.
In its ruling yesterday, the intermediate appellate court said that Merchan had appropriately balanced Trump's free speech rights with the court's need to control the trial.
There was no immediate comment from the Manhattan DA's office.
-ABC News' Katherine Faulders contributed to this report
Star witness Michael Cohen expected to take the stand
Michael Cohen, who for nearly a decade was Donald Trump's trusted adviser, personal attorney, and self-described "attack dog with a law license," is scheduled to take the stand this morning as the prosecution's star witness in Trump's criminal hush money trial.
According to prosecutors, Cohen was in the room in when Trump and former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker agreed to a catch-and-kill scheme to hide negative information about Trump from 2016 voters, and Cohen himself made a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels to buy her silence about an alleged 2006 sexual encounter with Trump. The former president, who has denied the encounter took place, is on trial for allegedly falsifying business records related to his company's reimbursement to Cohen in 2017.
But Cohen's value to the prosecution's case could be endangered by the disbarred lawyer's credibility issues. Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to tax evasion, campaign finance allegations, and lying to Congress in what Cohen says was an effort to protect Trump. The former president's lawyers have also argued that Cohen perjured himself again when he testified at Trump's civil fraud trial last year, and accuse Cohen of making his livelihood off books and podcasts that antagonize Trump.
Cohen is the final key witness in the prosecution's case, after which the defense will present its case.