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Dylan Stableford
Donald Trump’s hush money trial resumed Friday in Manhattan criminal court, where former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker — the first witness called by the prosecution — faced cross-examination by the defense.
Judge Juan Merchan continues to weigh whether the former president violated a gag order by attacking other witnesses on social media.
Pecker testified about his effort to “catch and kill” stories of Trump’s alleged extramarital affairs with adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal weeks before the 2016 presidential election.
Trump is facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal the $130,000 hush money payment to Daniels, who is among the witnesses expected to testify in the trial, which will last between five and six weeks.
Follow our live blog below for the latest updates from inside and outside the courtroom.
Before the break, Trump attorney Emil Bove was questioning Pecker about his testimony regarding a Jan. 6, 2017, meeting Pecker attended at Trump Tower with the then president-elect and numerous officials, including FBI Director James Comey.
On Thursday, Pecker testified that at the meeting Trump thanked him for paying to silence a Trump Tower doorman who claimed Trump had fathered a love child. But according to notes from a 2018 FBI interview with Pecker, he told agents that Trump had not thanked him at the Jan. 6 meeting.
Pecker initially suggested that the FBI's notes were wrong, but later during Bove's cross-examination acknowledged that he may have, in fact, told them Trump had not thanked him.
FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed during a marathon testimony on Wednesday that investigators still do not know if former President Donald Trump was grazed by a bullet or a piece of shrapnel during his attempted assassination.Twice during the hours-long session, Wray told lawmakers that the FBI was still working to determine what exactly struck the former president on his right ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. “My understanding is that either it [a bullet] or some shrapnel is wha
"Something about the question mark after 'old and quite weird' is taking me out."
The former president brought it up twice during a rally in North Carolina.
FBI investigators have asked to interview Donald Trump as they determine whether a bullet or a piece of shrapnel hit the former president during an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.On Wednesday, while testifying before the House Judiciary Committee, FBI Director Christopher Wray said that “there is some question about whether or not it was a bullet or shrapnel that hit his ear.”According to a Thursday report in The New York Times, citing the FBI and a federal law enforcem
“What happened to ‘any time, any place’?”
Ukraine is using US-supplied Bradley fighting vehicles in unorthodox ways and making an impact.
Lee Anderson has said an armed officer who was filmed appearing to kick and stamp on a man’s head at Manchester Airport should be given a medal.
The former president claimed his likely rival “is totally against the Jewish people.”
Tony Mack accused the Reform leader of being a "man who cannot keep his promises".
The "Late Show" host mocked the former president over one curious claim.
French intelligence sources hinted that the massive sabotage attack on rail lines leading to Paris on Friday may have been the work of Left-wing radicals.
Labour leader announced a massive program of offshore wind farms and other clean power initiatives
A rare thing happened following the attempted assassination of Donald Trump: agreement between the Democrats and Republicans. Namely, that the director of the Secret Service, Kimberley Cheatle, had to go.
The ex-White House communications director explained why Vance is "hurting" the former president.
"The View" co-host went after Vance, who once likened Kamala Harris and Pete Buttigieg to "cat ladies."
France, Italy, Belgium and five others were targeted by fellow member states after the European Commission warned of ballooning budget shortfalls.
Former President Trump on Friday claimed there will be a major war in the Middle East and potentially a “third world war” if he does not win November’s election. Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, one day after Netanyahu met at the White House with President Biden…
With Joe Biden calling Trump’s alleged golfing prowess into question, is the 45th president as good as he claims to be?
A Ukrainian commander said Russia will be forced to scale back its frontline assaults in under 2 months due to losses, and will switch to defense.
The US has restricted Ukraine from using its powerful long-range missiles to strike air bases inside Russia.