Opening Statements and First Witness in Trump Hush Money Trial
Donald Trump’s trial for allegedly hiding hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels commenced on Monday with opening statements and testimony from the first witness.
Inside the courtroom, Trump’s lawyers asserted that the former president was unfairly accused and had done nothing wrong. Alina Habba, one of Trump’s attorneys, stated that he should not even be present at the trial.
The defense claimed that payments made to Daniels, including a $130,000 check given by Trump’s lawyer, were not illegal. Trump himself characterized the payments as legal expenses related to a lawyer’s fees.
However, prosecutors presented a different narrative. They alleged that Trump lied about the payments in official New York business records. They asserted that Trump instructed his then-attorney, Michael Cohen, to pay the National Enquirer to obtain exclusive rights to Daniels’ account of an alleged affair with Trump and suppress its publication before the 2016 election.
David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer, took the stand as the first witness for the prosecution. He is expected to continue his testimony on Tuesday.
Amidst the trial proceedings, Trump expressed frustration, claiming that the case was part of a Democratic plot to hinder his campaign. However, the focus remains on the evidence and arguments presented in court.
