During the opening day of the historic trial involving former President Donald Trump, tensions ran high as he sat in the courtroom, accused of falsifying business records in connection with a $130,000 hush-money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to prevent her from discussing an alleged affair during the 2016 presidential election. This trial marks the first time a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges, with Trump facing 34 felony counts and potentially four years behind bars if convicted.
The proceedings on Monday began with Judge Juan Merchan outlining the ground rules for the jury, emphasizing the need to base their decisions on the evidence presented during the trial. Throughout this phase, Trump appeared to struggle to stay awake, closing his eyes at times, but he quickly snapped back to attention when his defense attorney, Todd Blanche, handed him a note.
Assistant District Attorney Matthew Colangelo launched the prosecution’s opening statements by describing a “criminal scheme” that Trump allegedly orchestrated to cover up the hush-money payment and other potentially damaging stories, including alleged affairs with a Playboy model and a Trump Tower doorman’s claim of having a love child with his maid. Colangelo argued that Trump, Cohen, and David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer, conspired to “catch-and-kill” these stories to protect Trump’s reputation during the 2016 election.
Colangelo stated that Trump’s reimbursement to Michael Cohen, his former attorney, was disguised through falsified checks and ledger entries, forming the basis of the charges. The prosecution’s case was framed around the concept of “catch-and-kill,” with the National Enquirer allegedly being used to suppress negative stories while Trump covered up the criminal conspiracy by falsifying business records. Colangelo also referred to Trump’s infamous “hot mic” moment, emphasizing its impact on the 2016 election.
Defense attorney Todd Blanche countered by declaring Trump’s innocence, stating that the charges were unjustified and politically motivated. He described Trump as a larger-than-life figure who deserved respect for his role as a former president and humanized him by reminding the jury that he is also a husband and father.
Blanche argued that the prosecution’s narrative was untrue and that Trump did not commit any crimes. He emphasized that Trump was “cloaked in innocence” and insisted that the case should never have been brought to trial.
Trump fixed his gaze on Blanche as the defense attorney repeated his client’s familiar talking point that the case should never have been brought and insisted the former president is “cloaked in innocence.” He told the jurors that Trump is, “in some ways, larger than life,” noting that “he has earned” the title of “president,” and he would be calling him that in court “out of respect for the office he held from 2017 to 2021.”
“He’s not just our former president, he’s not just the Donald Trump you’ve seen on TV and read about. He’s also a man, he’s a husband, he’s a father. He is a person just like you and just like me.”
Blanche then argued to the jury, “The story you just heard is not true.”
He said the payments from Trump to Cohen which make up the 34 criminal counts “are really just 34 pieces of paper.” Blanche claimed that Trump was merely paying a retainer to Cohen, and that this was not a crime.
“You’re going to learn that this was not a payback,” Blanche said. “… Listen, the ‘ledger’ was just a fancy way of… keeping track of what you’re spending money on.”
