NEW YORK (AP) 鈥 Prosecutors' star witness in the hush money case against was as defense lawyers tried to chip away at crucial testimony implicating the former president.
The trial resumed in Manhattan with the potentially explosive defense cross-examination of Cohen, whose credibility could determine the presumptive Republican presidential nominee鈥檚 fate in the case.
Cohen is prosecutors鈥 final witness 鈥 at least for now 鈥 as they try to prove Trump schemed to suppress a damaging story he feared , and then falsified business records to cover it up.
The trial was in its 18th day. While the defense is not expected to call many witnesses, talks were ongoing Thursday after court adjourned over the parameters of potential testimony from a campaign finance law expert the defense wants to call to the stand. The trial resumes Monday, when Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche will continue cross-examining Cohen.
Over two days on the witness stand, of the alleged scheme to stifle negative stories to fend off damage to his White House bid. Cohen told jurors that Trump promised to reimburse him for the money he fronted and was constantly updated about efforts to silence women who alleged sexual encounters with him. Trump denies the women鈥檚 claims.
Trump has to 34 felony counts.
The case is the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president and the to reach a jury.
Currently:
鈥 The jurors are getting 鈥 most of the time
鈥 Lies, loyalty and a gag order upheld: Tuesday鈥檚
鈥 Speaker is a remarkable moment
鈥 Trump hush money case: A timeline of
鈥 Key players: Who鈥檚 who at Trump鈥檚
Here's the latest:
JUDGE IS SORTING OUT THE TRIAL'S FINAL STRETCH
Before adjourning, Judge Juan Merchan noted the challenge of managing the trial schedule with myriad upcoming off days.
There鈥檚 no court Friday so Trump can attend his son鈥檚 high school graduation, and an upcoming four-day weekend for Memorial Day. Court is also not in session on Wednesdays.
Depending on how long the defense case goes, it鈥檚 possible the trial could shift to closing arguments as early as Tuesday. Defense lawyer Todd Blanche has said he expects to finish the cross-examination of former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen on Monday morning.
Merchan said he鈥檇 like to have both sides give their summations on the same day and could start court early or end late to accommodate that. Or, he said, they may have to spill into another day.
Then, before deliberations begin, Merchan will have to instruct and charge the jury. But the timing of that could be tricky, too, he said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not ideal for there to be a big lapse in time between summations and a jury charge,鈥 Merchan said.
TALKS ONGOING OVER POTENTIAL TESTIMONY FROM FINANCE LAW EXPERT
With court adjourned and the jury gone for the day, legal arguments are ongoing about the parameters of potential testimony from a campaign finance law expert the defense wants to call as a witness.
Former President Donald Trump鈥檚 lawyers have said they may call Bradley A. Smith, a former Bill Clinton-appointed Republican Federal Election Commission member, to refute the prosecution鈥檚 contention that the hush money payments at issue in the trial amounted to campaign finance violations.
Prosecutors said they have their own campaign finance expert teed up as a potential expert witness if the defense ends up calling their expert to the stand.
Judge Juan Merchan said he would take some time this weekend to 鈥渄igest both sets of submission further,鈥 but suggested the potential witness鈥檚 testimony would be limited to very general background information.
Defense lawyer Todd Blanche said no decision has been made yet on whether Trump will testify in his own defense.
Trump is charged with felony counts of falsifying business records. In order to convict him, the jury must find that he improperly logged reimbursements to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and did so with the intent to commit or hide another crime. Among those other alleged crimes, prosecutors said, were campaign finance violations.
Cross-examination of Cohen will continue Monday.
COHEN PREVIOUSLY CHARACTERIZED STORMY DANIELS PAYMENT AS EXTORTION
Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen acknowledged telling a former prosecutor that he felt porn actor Stormy Daniels and her then-lawyer Keith Davidson were extorting Trump in seeking a $130,000 payment to keep quiet about her claim of a sexual encounter with Trump.
Cohen raised the specter of extortion during a conversation with Mark Pomerantz, who had led the Manhattan district attorney鈥檚 investigation of Trump before leaving the office in 2022.
鈥淵es, I recall making a statement like that 鈥 that they were extorting Mr. Trump,鈥 Cohen testified.
鈥淚n your mind, there were two choices: pay or don鈥檛 pay and the story comes out,鈥 defense lawyer Todd Blanche said.
鈥淵es, sir,鈥 Cohen replied.
In 2018, Trump decried Daniels鈥 claims as 鈥渇alse and extortionist accusations.鈥
In her testimony last week, Daniels denied trying to extort Trump, calling the allegation 鈥渇alse.鈥
PROSECUTOR ASKS JUDGE TO STOP 鈥楧EFENSE GUESTS鈥 FROM ENTERING MIDTESTIMONY
Before Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen returned to the stand at the start of the day, prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked the judge to stop Trump鈥檚 courtroom 鈥済uests鈥 from coming in midtestimony.
On Tuesday, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Florida Rep. Byron Donalds those who came to support Trump in the gallery.
In a sidebar held out of earshot of reporters, Hoffinger told Judge Juan Merchan that on that day, 鈥渟ome of the defense guests filed in the middle of direct examination with their security detail,鈥 and asked that those who came Thursday not be allowed to do so during cross-examination, according to a transcript of the discussion.
鈥淚t鈥檚 鈥 with their security detail for the jury and the witnesses to see,鈥 Hoffinger said.
Merchan agreed that it was inadvisable, but Blanche, Trump鈥檚 defense lawyer, said it was out of his control.
鈥淚 have less than zero control over what is happening on anything or anyone that鈥檚 behind me when I am crossing a witness,鈥 he said.
TRUMP LAWYER QUESTIONS INTENT OF TABLOID'S 鈥楥ATCH-AND-KILL鈥 SCHEMES
Donald Trump watched his former lawyer Michael Cohen as the topic in the cross-examination turned to the suppression of a former Trump Tower doorman鈥檚 that the then-candidate had fathered a child with an employee.
Cohen worked with the National Enquirer to get the tabloid to pay $30,000 for exclusive rights to the story to keep it from coming out 鈥 a practice known as 鈥渃atch and kill.鈥
Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche emphasized that the 2015 payoff was made even though the story was 鈥 according to Cohen, Trump and then-Enquirer publisher David Pecker 鈥 false.
And the defense lawyer sought to suggest that squelching the story had nothing to do with Trump鈥檚 then-ongoing campaign. Rather, Blanche noted, Cohen told law enforcement that Trump was 鈥渃oncerned about the story because it involved people that still worked with him and worked for him.鈥
鈥淪o it was important to him to keep it from getting out?鈥 Blanche asked.
鈥淵es sir,鈥 Cohen testified.
The point is important to the defense because it鈥檚 trying to undermine prosecutors鈥 allegation that the hush money payments to the doorman and others were meant specifically to protect Trump鈥檚 electoral prospects.
Blanche also sought to sow doubt about whether Cohen has a 鈥渟pecific recollection鈥 of certain phone calls that have come up repeatedly during the trial. To make his point, he asked Cohen to estimate how many phone calls he was receiving each day in 2016 and 2017.
鈥淗undreds,鈥 Cohen said.
Conservatively, Blanche noted that would mean Cohen was receiving upward of 50,000 calls each year and questioned how Cohen could remember the specific details of certain calls.
鈥淭hese phone calls are things I鈥檝e been talking about for the last six years,鈥 Cohen testified. 鈥淭hey were and are extremely important and they were all-consuming.鈥
DEFENSE GRILLS COHEN ON HIS SECRET RECORDINGS
Donald Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche suggested Michael Cohen breached legal ethics when he secretly recorded himself briefing Trump in September 2016 about an arrangement to buy the rights of former Playboy model Karen McDougal鈥檚 story from the National Enquirer.
鈥淵ou understand it鈥檚 not ethical for a lawyer to record a conversation with their client,鈥 Blanche asked Cohen, who was Trump鈥檚 personal lawyer at the time.
Cohen conceded it wasn鈥檛 ethical, though he noted there were some exceptions 鈥 none of which applied in his case, he said. Cohen had testified that he made the recording so he could play it for the tabloid鈥檚 publisher at the time, David Pecker, to prove Trump was going to make the deal happen.
鈥淛ust so I understand, you surreptitiously recorded your client so that you could play a privileged communication for a third party?鈥 Blanche asked Cohen.
The witness agreed.
Cohen had a propensity to secretly record his conversations, though he said the September 2016 talk was the only one he recorded with Trump.
Blanche said many of Cohen鈥檚 recordings 鈥 about 40 鈥 involved conversations he had with news reporters. Sometimes, the people Cohen was talking to would ask him if he was recording them, and he denied it, Blanche said.
Asked if he recalled that, Cohen said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 not illegal in New York for one party.鈥
鈥淢r. Cohen, I did not ask you if you were breaking the law,鈥 Blanche responded. 鈥淚 just asked you if you were surreptitiously recording people.鈥
DEFENSE SEGUES TO COHEN'S ROLE IN SPINNING NEWS STORIES
Donald Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche resumed his understated style of questioning Thursday afternoon at the former president's hush money trial after reaching a crescendo just prior to the lunch break.
Blanche asked former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen as cross-examination continued to rehash his previous testimony in a 鈥渢imeline fashion.鈥 He began with a moment in 2011, when Cohen created a website to assess his boss鈥 odds of winning the presidency.
Blanche then segued into Cohen鈥檚 role in spinning news stories. In one of the earliest examples, Blanche noted, Cohen helped plant a positive story in the National Enquirer about Trump鈥檚 potential presidential bid. That story also included positive information about Cohen, the defense attorney noted.
Blanche sought to suggest that Cohen didn鈥檛 always consult Trump about how to fend off or respond to unflattering news stories. Cohen, however, insisted he always did because Trump might 鈥渂low up鈥 at him and it could mean the end of his job.
The questions appeared aimed at suggesting that Trump might not have been in on all the machinations surrounding porn actor Stormy Daniels鈥 claims, though Blanche didn鈥檛 specifically ask about that, at least to that point.
NO COURT ON FRIDAY
Donald Trump's hush money trial will take a three-day weekend because the former president plans to attend the high school graduation of his youngest son, Barron, on Friday.
Judge Juan Merchan had told jurors earlier that because of scheduling 鈥 the trial will also not be held on Memorial Day 鈥 it might be necessary to hold court next Wednesday, typically a day off for the trial so Merchan can attend to other matters.
But Merchan now says that won鈥檛 be the case. Some jurors indicated they can鈥檛 attend that day, 鈥渟o that鈥檚 off the table,鈥 the judge said.
THE DAY'S MOST HEATED MOMENT
Donald Trump's defense attorney Todd Blanche, before court broke for lunch Thursday in the former president's hush money trial, sought to unravel Michael Cohen鈥檚 claim that he spoke by phone with Trump 鈥渢o discuss the Stormy Daniels matter and the resolution of it鈥 just days before wiring her lawyer $130,000.
Cohen, Trump's former lawyer and fixer, testified earlier in the week that he called Trump鈥檚 bodyguard, Keith Schiller, just after 8 p.m. on Oct. 24, 2016, as a way of getting ahold of Trump because he knew he鈥檇 be with him.
But Blanche noted that at the time, Cohen was dealing with harassing phone calls and had exchanged text messages with the supposed harasser just before contacting Schiller. Blanche cited text message records showing Cohen messaged Schiller at 7:48 p.m. regarding the caller, who鈥檇 identified himself as a 14-year-old boy who鈥檇 promised not to do it again.
鈥淲ho can I speak to about harassing calls to my cell and office,鈥 Cohen wrote to Schiller.
Blanche then cited phone records showing Schiller calling Cohen and leaving a voicemail at 8:01 p.m., followed by a text message stating, 鈥渃all me,鈥 at 8:02 p.m. Cohen then called Schiller鈥檚 number. The conversation lasted one minute and 36 seconds, phone records show.
Blanche said Cohen鈥檚 claim that he was talking to Trump about the Daniels deal 鈥渨as a lie because you were actually talking to Mr. Schiller about getting harassing phone calls from a 14-year-old.鈥
鈥淧art of it was about the phone calls, but I knew that Keith was with Mr. Trump at the time, and it was more than potentially just this,鈥 Cohen responded.
Blanche, his voice growing louder, was incredulous. After hours of slow and halting questioning, he spoke at a rapid clip as his voice rose to a new octave with a note of disbelief.
鈥淵ou had enough time in that one minute and 36 seconds to update Mr. Schiller about all the problems you were having with this harassing phone call and also update President Trump on the status of the Stormy Daniels situation?鈥
Cohen responded that was his belief, based on records he was able to review that he said have refreshed his memory.
鈥淵es, I believe I was telling the truth.鈥
鈥淲e are not asking for your belief. This jury does not want to hear what you think happened,鈥 Blanche said, even louder, prompting an objection from prosecutor Susan Hoffinger.
FAKE, AI-GENERATED LEGAL CASES
Donald Trump's defense on Thursday brought up another embarrassing episode from Michael Cohen鈥檚 past 鈥 when he supplied his lawyer with nonexistent, AI-generated legal cases to back up an application last year to end his post-prison court supervision early.
As , Cohen said he was doing research with an AI tool, and it served up a few cases that sounded useful but turned out to be inventions. He has said he didn鈥檛 realize such tools could make things up. His attorney ended up citing the bogus legal rulings in papers that went to a judge.
鈥淭hose citations were inaccurate. Not the sum and substance, but essentially the citations themselves,鈥 Cohen testified Thursday, leading to an exchange that illustrated the disbarred attorney鈥檚 careful, sometimes hair-splitting responses to cross-examination in Trump's hush money trial.
鈥淲hen you say the citations were inaccurate, you mean the cases didn鈥檛 exist, right?鈥 defense attorney Todd Blanche asked.
鈥淯nder that citation, no.鈥
鈥淭he three cases that you gave to your attorney were not real cases, correct?鈥
鈥淭hat鈥檚 correct,鈥 Cohen acknowledged.
Court broke for lunch soon after.
DEFENSE ARGUES COHEN HAD WHITE HOUSE AMBITIONS
The defense in Donald Trump's hush money trial sought Thursday to undermine Michael Cohen鈥檚 repeated contention that he had no aspirations to work in the White House following Trump鈥檚 election victory.
鈥淭he truth is, Mr. Cohen, you really wanted to work in the White House, correct?鈥 defense attorney Todd Blanche asked. 鈥淣o sir,鈥 Cohen replied.
Blanche then referred to a series of text messages, first presented by prosecutors earlier in the week, showing private conversations he鈥檇 had in November 2016. In one message, Cohen texted his daughter that he still had a shot of becoming the president鈥檚 chief of staff. Another shows Cohen telling a friend that she could serve as his assistant once he gets the position.
Reiterating his previous testimony, Cohen said that while he may have wanted to be considered as chief of staff for 鈥渆go reasons,鈥 he was seeking a role as personal attorney to the president.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think you鈥檙e characterizing this correctly at all,鈥 Cohen said. 鈥淢y conversations with my daughter, I wanted a hybrid position where I would still have access to President Trump but I would not be a White House employee.鈥
CONSERVATIVE LAWMAKERS RIP COHEN'S CREDIBILITY
Outside the courthouse during a Thursday morning break in Donald Trump's hush money trial, conservative Republican lawmakers immediately lit into Michael Cohen鈥檚 credibility, levying criticism against him and others that Trump is prohibited from delivering himself.
Rep. Matt Gaetz called Cohen a liar 鈥渨ho committed these lies for his own benefit鈥 and colorfully referenced the case against Trump as the 鈥淢r. Potato Head of crimes, where they had to stick together a bunch of things that did not belong together.鈥
Gaetz and others, including House Freedom Caucus members Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Ralph Norman, also criticized the judge鈥檚 daughter, something a gag order specifically prohibits Trump from doing. Norman called the whole proceeding 鈥渁 kangaroo court, plain and simple.鈥
Throughout the lawmakers鈥 comments, people nearby shouted criticism and obscenities at them.
WHAT CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS ARE DOING IN COURT
Some of the lawmakers who accompanied Donald Trump to court Thursday sat in the front two rows, directly behind the former president, while others were relegated to the back of the gallery because there wasn鈥檛 enough room in the rows reserved for the Trump鈥檚 entourage.
Those in the front row at Trump's hush money trial appeared to look at their phones for large chunks of the morning, rather than up at the proceedings.
, the former president鈥檚 squad of supporters mostly donned Trump鈥檚 favored look of a navy suit and red tie, a display of solidarity.
Trump himself wore the look Thursday, as did Reps. Matt Gaetz, Eli Crane and Andy Ogles. But others showed more color. Rep. Andy Biggs opted for a light gray suit, while Rep. Michael Waltz chose a bright turquoise tie.
At one point, when Trump defense attorney Todd Blanche was discussing one of Michael Cohen鈥檚 past appearances before Congress, he drew a chuckle from some of the House members when he observed: 鈥淲hen congressmen ask you questions they tend to go on and on.鈥
Biggs flashed a knowing grin.
DEFENSE, COHEN QUARREL OVE
R LIES
Donald Trump's defense attorney Todd Blanche on Thursday pushed Michael Cohen, repeatedly and emphatically, on his admission that he lied when pleading guilty to some federal charges, including tax fraud, before Judge William Pauley.
Cohen 鈥 Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer, being cross-examined in the ex-president's hush money trial 鈥 does not dispute the bulk of the defense鈥檚 characterizations, though he has couched some of his answers in legalistic terms. Blanche appeared intent on connecting the words 鈥渓ie鈥 and 鈥渓ying鈥 to Cohen as often as possible.
In one exchange, Blanche asked Cohen if he agreed 鈥渢hat when you plead guilty to a crime and you鈥檙e lying, that鈥檚 not accepting responsibility for your conduct?鈥
After Cohen expressed ambivalence, Blanche continued, 鈥淵ou lied, you lied to the judge when you pleaded guilty,鈥 adding: 鈥淒o you think Judge Pauley would have liked to know that you lied to him?鈥
Cohen initially said he wasn鈥檛 sure, before conceding the point. 鈥淚 am certain he would have,鈥 he said.
The court soon after broke for its morning recess. Trump, who had been sitting placidly with his arms folded across his chest, flashed a thumbs up as he left the courtroom after a reporter asked, 鈥淗ow's Todd doing?鈥
鈥楧ON鈥橳 MAKE A SPEECH,' DEFENSE TELLS COHEN
Donald Trump鈥檚 defense attorney Todd Blanche cut off the ex-president鈥檚 former lawyer Michael Cohen on Thursday as he attempted to explain why he pleaded guilty to certain offenses he didn鈥檛 think he should鈥檝e been charged with.
鈥淚 took the global plea that was provided to me,鈥 Cohen said as he was cross-examined at Trump's hush money trial.
鈥淪ir, please don鈥檛 make a speech,鈥 Blanche interjected.
Judge Juan Merchan then instructed Cohen to answer Blanche鈥檚 questions and avoid tangential answers.
In a lightning round of questions and answers, Blanche pointed out that Cohen has, over time, blamed various other people for his problems, including his accountant, a bank, federal prosecutors and a federal judge.
And, Blanche asked, 鈥淵ou blamed President Trump?鈥
鈥淵es, sir,鈥 Cohen replied.
COHEN TALKS TAXIS
Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen explained Thursday at the ex-president's hush money trial his own role in New York City鈥檚 taxi medallion system, the unusual and archaic that underpins the city鈥檚 for-hire vehicle industry.
Cohen owned 32 medallions of 13,000 citywide that he leased out to Evgeny Freidman, a figure as New York鈥檚 鈥淭axi King.鈥 Cohen pleaded guilty to federal charges that included hiding more than $1.3 million in income that he received from Freidman. Freidman was later sentenced to probation for tax fraud.
鈥淚t would be no different than if you were leasing an apartment from somebody,鈥 Cohen said of his relationship with Freidman. 鈥淗e would lease my medallion or medallions in agreement with the contract, and he would pay me a sum every month whether he made money or not.鈥
DEFENSE FOCUSES ON COHEN'S PREVIOUS UNDER-OATH LIES
Donald Trump's defense attorney Todd Blanche grilled Michael Cohen on Thursday at the former president's hush money trial about Cohen's 2018 guilty plea to federal charges, including for lying to Congress about a Trump Tower Moscow project.
As he did when pleading guilty, Cohen, Trump's former lawyer and fixer, conceded on the witness stand that he lied to two congressional committees about his contacts with Russian officials. He also said he lied when he said he never agreed to travel to Russia in connection with the project and never discussed with Trump plans to travel to Moscow to support it.
鈥淛ust related to that issue, you lied under oath, correct?鈥 Blanche asked.
鈥淵es sir,鈥 Cohen said.
Blanche dug at Cohen鈥檚 motivations for the admitting to prior lies to Congress. Blanche noted that Cohen has repeatedly said he lied out of loyalty to Trump.
Cohen went on to testify that he does accept responsibility for what he did.
JURORS HEAR CLIPS OF COHEN'S
PODCASTS
Donald Trump鈥檚 attorneys in his hush money trial gave jurors a picture Thursday of his former lawyer Michael Cohen鈥檚 on-air persona, playing two clips of his podcasts over the years in which he discussed Trump and the potential charges.
In the recordings played in the courtroom, Cohen鈥檚 voice was louder, high-pitched and much more animated than the reserved and concise way he鈥檚 been answering questions. In one clip from an episode defense lawyer Todd Blanche said was from October 2020, Cohen uses an expletive and says he truly hopes 鈥渢hat this man ends up in prison.鈥
鈥淚t won鈥檛 bring back the year that I lost or the damage done to my family. But revenge is a dish best served cold,鈥 Cohen says in the clip. He adds: 鈥淵ou better believe that I want this man to go down.鈥
Blanche asked Cohen if he continued to call Trump various names on his podcasts and when he did interviews on CNN, and Cohen said he did.
鈥淎nd that has continued even during this trial?鈥 Blanche asked.
鈥淐orrect,鈥 Cohen said.
COHEN CONFIRMS TEXT MESSAGES WITH INVESTIGATOR
Defense attorney Todd Blanche asked as he cross-examined Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen about TV interviews he did when news of the former president's indictment in the hush money case emerged last year.
One included a CNN hit in which he compared himself and Trump to the biblical David and Goliath.
Cohen confirmed that, in text messages not shown to jurors, an investigator with the prosecutors鈥 office complimented him on at least one of the interviews, though prosecutors had asked Cohen to refrain from talking to the news media about the case.
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger disrupted Blanche鈥檚 efforts to get the exchanges shown to jurors or read into the record. Hoffinger noted that the messages were heavily redacted, which Cohen said deprived them of important context.
STOP-AND-START AS TRUMP'S TRIAL RESUMES
Donald Trump鈥檚 hush money trial got off to a slow start Thursday morning, with attorneys halting proceedings to have several sidebar conversations with the judge, including an extended discussion to start the day.
Judge Juan Merchan apologized to the jurors for the delay. The judge told them that it may be necessary to hold the trial next Wednesday because of scheduling, with days off including Memorial Day and this Friday, when Trump will attend son Barron鈥檚 high school graduation.
The trial has been taking Wednesdays off so Merchan can attend to other matters.
The stop-and-start continued as defense attorney Todd Blanche began cross-examining former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and prosecutors objected to the phrasing of several questions.
Republican Reps. Lauren Boebert, Matt Gaetz and Bob Good sat with Trump鈥檚 son Eric in the first row of the gallery, behind the former president and the defense table. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna sat in the second row.
CROSS-EXAMINATION OF COHEN RESUMES
Donald Trump's former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen entered the courtroom in the ex-president's hush money trial carrying a bottle of water and his eyeglasses case in his left hand.
He strode confidently and briskly to the witness stand, not looking in Trump鈥檚 direction. Trump also did not look toward Cohen, instead gazing straight ahead.
The defense's cross-examination of Cohen resumed soon after.
Beforehand, an officer instructed lawmakers in the audience to put their cellphones away, a rule that applies to everyone in the courtroom to watch the trial.
鈥淧eople are going to ask about it,鈥 the officer said, noting the big concern is people taking pictures of the proceedings, which is forbidden.
TRUMP GRUMBLES AGAIN ABOUT THE TRIAL
Donald Trump returned to court Thursday in his hush money trial and once again complained about it, telling reporters before entering the courtroom that 鈥渢he crime is that they鈥檙e doing this case.鈥
Trump was flanked by a large group of congressional allies, including Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Bob Good of Virginia. Trump said the members joining him are 鈥渦p in arms over this.鈥
He also complained about the security presence outside the courthouse.
鈥淥utside it鈥檚 like Fort Knox, you can鈥檛 get within three blocks of this place if you鈥檙e a civilian,鈥 Trump said, even though the area is accessible to the public.
Trump folded papers in his hand as he entered, followed by his lawyers, a cadre of Republican lawmakers and support staff.
Some lawmakers who joined Trump in court were forced to sit in the back row of the gallery because there wasn鈥檛 enough room in the rows reserved for the entourage.
TRUMP'S GOP SURROGATES PREPARE TO JOIN HIM AT COURT
The chair of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, Rep. Bob Good, of Virginia, appeared Thursday morning with Rep. Matt Gaetz, of Florida, outside Trump Tower to support Donald Trump shortly before the indicted former president left for court.
Gaetz is not a member of the Freedom Caucus but is a top Trump ally. Several other Republicans were expected Thursday at the court.
The House Oversight Committee, led by Republicans, postponed a morning meeting until evening, as GOP lawmakers made their way to New York.
As part of their attack on the justice system, Republicans on the panel are considering Thursday a against U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in a separate matter, over their investigation of President Joe Biden鈥檚 handling of classified documents.
The former president waved before getting into his motorcade and heading to the courthouse for the day.
TRUMP DELIVERED SOME ELECTION NEWS WHILE THE COURT WAS ON BREAK
After months of questions about whether general election debates would happen, and Republican nominee have in two of them: one in June and one in September.
The in a jam-packed and unsettled political calendar, before either candidate becomes his party鈥檚 official nominee at the summer conventions.
The June 27 match-up will come after the expected conclusion of Trump鈥檚 criminal hush money trial in New York, foreign trips by Biden in mid-June to France and Italy, and the end of the Supreme Court鈥檚 term.
The second debate would take place before most states begin early voting 鈥 though some overseas and military ballots may already be in the mail.
THE JURORS AREN'T SEEING SOME OF THE MOST EXPLOSIVE MOMENTS AROUND TRUMP鈥橲 HUSH MONEY TRIAL
Some of the most explosive moments in Donald Trump鈥檚 hush money trial have played out for most of the world to see 鈥 except for the people who are actually deciding his fate: the jury.
The 12-person panel is shown evidence and witness testimony so they can decide whether the former president is guilty of a scheme to buy up and bury seamy stories in an effort to illegally influence the 2016 presidential election. But it鈥檚 a highly curated experience; seen by those who follow along each day.
They don鈥檛 even witness Trump enter or exit the courtroom. He鈥檚 already there by the time they are brought into the room, and he stays until they are dismissed. This is by design.
The Associated Press
