Former President Donald Trump’s attorney, Todd Blanche, announced on May 9 that former model Karen McDougal will not testify in Trump’s trial, though no specific reason was provided. McDougal alleged an affair with Trump between 2006 and 2007, which he has denied. Prosecutors claimed Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen paid McDougal to keep quiet about the alleged relationship, suggesting Trump’s campaign falsified business records.
McDougal’s former attorney, Keith Davidson, testified earlier in the trial, stating McDougal had claimed a romantic affair with Trump. However, the prosecution has since decided not to call McDougal as a witness, potentially altering the trial’s dynamics.
Meanwhile, the defense team for Trump sought to address issues raised by witness Stephanie Clifford’s recent testimony, also known as Stormy Daniels, who alleged an affair with Trump. Trump’s lawyers requested a motion for a mistrial and permission for Trump to publicly respond to Clifford’s claims made during her May 7 and May 9 testimony. They argued that Trump’s inability to speak publicly due to the gag order imposed by Judge Juan Merchan was unfair, given the media coverage of the trial.
“We ask that President Trump be allowed to respond publicly to what happened in court the past day and a half,” Mr. Blanche said during the May 9 hearing. “The press [has been] reporting over the past 24 hours about the current version of the story that we believe is completely false. It is significant.”
However, Prosecutor Christopher Conroy countered that relaxing the gag order could affect the willingness of other witnesses to testify, citing a witness who was concerned about the consequences of testifying after Trump’s public comments. Judge Merchan ultimately denied the defense’s request to modify the gag order.
Trump has faced 34 counts of falsifying business records related to alleged hush money payments to Clifford. The former president has pleaded not guilty and maintains the charges are politically motivated. The defense team has indicated the payments were standard, with nothing illegal about them, while the prosecution argues they were intended to silence Clifford ahead of the 2016 election, constituting election interference.
In a recent social media post, Trump expressed frustration with the gag order, saying it prevented him from refuting “lies and false statements” made during the trial. His legal team argues that the order infringes on his constitutionally protected free speech.
