Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial saw the cross-examination of the defendant’s estranged former “fixer” Michael Cohen commence on Tuesday, with Cohen challenged on his evolving attitudes to his ex-boss, colourful insults and the idea that he has profited from an “obsession” with Mr Trump since 2018.
Cohen remained calm and stood his ground on a second day of testimony in Judge Juan Merchan’s courtroom, emphasising his former employers’ strategy of “delay, delay, delay” when it came to making the $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels at the heart of the case, which was intended to buy her silence about a sexual encounter she claims she had with Mr Trump in a Lake Tahoe hotel room in July 2006.
Ms Daniels herself took to the witness stand last week to deliver some highly explicit and embarrassing evidence, appearing unflappable as the defence worked hard to discredit her.
The former president denies the affair and the 34 felony counts brought against him by Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, who accuses him of falsifying business records to hide the payout.
The cross-examination of Cohen will continue after Wednesday’s recess as the prosecution prepares to rest its case.
Alex Woodward and Kelly Rissman are covering the trial from Manhattan Criminal Court.