Trump trial: Judge rebukes Michael Cohen ahead of expected testimony Monday
Former President Trump was in court on Day 15 of his criminal trial in New York.
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:
What to know about the hush money case
READ MORE: Here's what you need to know about the historic case.
Westerhout exits with a quick word of thanks from Trump
During a short redirect examination, Trump White House aide Madeleine Westerhout confirmed that she currently works as the chief of staff for Robert C. O'Brien, who served as Trump's national security adviser from 2019 to 2021.
Westerhout then concluded her testimony.
She and Trump both smiled at each other as she stepped off the witness stand. As she passed by the defense table, Trump whispered what appeared to be a brief word of thanks to her.
Westerhout says Trump was 'very upset' by WSJ article
Defense attorney Necheles concluded her cross-examination of Trump White House aide Madeleine Westerhout by asking Westerhout about Trump's reaction to the 2018 Wall Street Journal story about the Stormy Daniels hush money payment.
Westerhout confirmed she spoke with Trump after the story came out and recalled that "he was very upset by it."
"Why?" Necheles asked.
"My understanding is he knew it would be hurtful to his family," Westerhout said.
Part of her testimony about Trump's response was struck from the record because Westerhout could not recall Trump specifically mentioning his family.
"I could just tell that the whole situation was unpleasant," Westerhout said.
Defense suggests avoiding White House mail is standard
Defense attorney Susan Necheles suggested that the practice of not mailing Trump's personal items directly to the White House -- including checks for him to sign -- was a standard practice used by past presidents to quickly get their personal mail.
"It was a way that items could be sent to you and you could get them promptly to President Trump?" Necheles asked Trump White House aide Madeleine Westerhout, suggesting that security practices delayed mail sent to the White House and that packages might get lost.
"That's right," Westerhout said.
"This was a problem [that] … exists for everybody who is in that office?" Necheles later asked, suggesting past administrations used a similar solution.
"I don't have any knowledge of what is was like in previous administrations, but I can't imagine it would have been any different," said Westerhout.
Necheles also sought to contradict the prosecution's contention that Trump personally reviewed every check he signed.
"You said he signed a tremendous amount of documents ... commissions, proclamations, executive orders, memos, letters ... hundreds of documents a day?" Necheles asked Westerhout.
"Not every day, but sometimes," Westerhout said.
"Sometimes he would sign checks without reviewing them?" Necheles asked.
"Yes," said Westerhout.
Defense seeks to distance Trump from CFO, repayments
Seeking to distance Trump from his then-Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg -- and thus the repayment arrangement for Michael Cohen -- defense attorney Susan Necheles asked Trump White House aide Madeleine Westerhout, "I'm correct that you don't ever have a recollection of Donald Trump and Allen Weisselberg speaking in his first year in office?"
"That's correct, yes," Westerhout responded.
Meanwhile, a long week of testimony appears to have caught up with some of the jurors, several of whom appear to be stifling yawns.
All 18 were leaning back into their chairs as attorneys gathered at the bench for a sidebar conference.
Witness reviews Trump tweets about Michael Cohen
Custodial witness Georgia Longstreet read into evidence a series of 2018 tweets by Trump.
"The New York Times and a third rate reporter named Maggie Haberman, known as a Crooked H flunkie who I don't speak to and have nothing to do with, are going out of their way to destroy Michael Cohen and his relationship with me in the hope that he will 'flip,'" one tweet said.
"If anyone is looking for a good lawyer, I would strongly suggest that you don't retain the services of Michael Cohen!" read another tweet.
Prospectors are introducing these posts to demonstrate what they argue is a "pressure campaign" by Trump to prevent Michael Cohen's cooperation with authorities.
Jurors also read a 2018 tweet from Trump where he denied an affair with Daniels but defended the nondisclosure arrangement between them as a "private" agreement.
Trump, marking up papers at the defense table, stopped as Longstreet read some of his tweets into the record. He stared at the tweets displayed on the monitor in front of him, then resumed writing.