Good morning from New York.

The first day of Michael Cohen's cross-ex began with a reminder that he called Trump's lead attorney Todd Blanche a "crying little s***."

Outside the jury's ear, the judge then scolded Blanche for "making this about yourself."

Day Two ahead 🧵 The Day One transcript reveals the sidebar discussion from after that explosive start.

Blanche pushed back: "I'm not making it about myself, your honor. I have a right to show this witness's bias, and he has expressed bias about the lawyers just because of who we represent."

Good morning from New York.

"He approved it."

In three words, Michael Cohen tied Trump to this system of reimbursements—in a blink-and-you-might-miss-it line dropped just before trial adjourned.

Follow Trump's team likely attempting to undermine it on cross today. 🧵 Why is that important?

Team Trump claimed that the former president never even heard of Cohen's reimbursements, let alone approved them, and they were all legal fees.

The jury has heard that defense line—and seen it contradicted repeatedly, including by Trump's own words.

Good morning from New York.

On Friday, the jury heard this Trump tweet recited into the record—about his "reimbursement" to Michael Cohen for "a non-disclosure agreement."

Trump's attorney denied the reimbursement when trial began.

Soon, Cohen is expected to testify.🧵 During opening statements, prosecutor Matthew Colangelo promised jurors Cohen's account would be backed up by an "extensive paper trail of bank records, emails, text messages, phone logs, business documents and other records."

Good morning from New York.

Stormy Daniels finished her testimony. Karen McDougal's off the witness list, and on Thursday, trial proceedings wrapped with Madeleine Westerhout still on the stand.

I'm inside the courtroom, today and every day, picking up where we left off. 🧵 Explanation on McDougal, for those who missed the end of proceedings yesterday:

Without explanation, Trump's lead attorney Todd Blanche said prosecutors informed him they won't be calling her. The payoff to McDougal isn't directly tied to the 34 falsifying records charges.

Good morning from New York.

As Stormy Daniels gears up for her second day on the witness stand, Trump's lawyer continues cross-ex—and the judge will likely maintain his close watch of the guardrails.

What the judge is looking for, @Just_Security justsecurity.org/95541/stormy-d… "All rise."

Justice Merchan enters, and Assistant DA Susan Hoffinger tells him that the defense wants to confront Stormy Daniels with an arrest record, over an accusation by her ex-husband.

The claim was thrown out, she notes.

Good morning from New York.

It's a sunny and temperate morning outside the lower Manhattan courthouse for Trump's criminal trial, but reportedly, we're in for a Stormy day in court, Daniels' attorney told the AP.

Follow along here. 🧵 Note:

Trump isn't getting advanced notice of witnesses because of his gag order violations. Apparently, this is his reaction after learning about what reportedly is a significant one on deck.

https://x.com/TylerMcBrien/status/1787812898468667542

Just-released exhibits:

These handwritten notations by jailed ex-Trump Org CFO Allen Weisselberg could be described as a visualization of the prosecution's theory of the case.

Let's break it down. 🧵 First off:

It's written on a bank statement for Michael Cohen's shell company Essential Consultants LLC, showing the transfer to Daniels' law firm.

Justice Merchan to Trump:

"Defendant is hereby put on notice that if appropriate and warranted, future violations of its lawful orders will be punishable by incarceration."

Read the latest contempt order here nycourts.gov/LegacyPDFS/pre…
Notable:

There were four alleged violations at issue here, and the judge said he could NOT hold Trump in contempt beyond a reasonable doubt on three.

Two arguably replied to Michael Cohen's "political attacks." Trump's comment about David Pecker may have been "innocuous."

Good morning from New York.

Another week of Trump's criminal trial kicks off this morning, with no public indication of what witnesses are up next.

Over the weekend — for reasons that may be entirely unrelated — one of the case's notable figures shared #reflections. 🧵 Also note @RonanFarrow's reaction to McDougal's reading material.

Live thread coming up.

No sooner does Trump lawyer Emil Bove's cross begin than Hope Hicks starts to tear up and cry.

Afternoon recess. Hicks apparently started getting emotional toward the end of direct, after recounting her disbelief of Trump's story about Cohen.

Her emotion crescendoed and interrupted her testimony before Bove had finished asking his first question—an unobtrusive query about her career.

Trump trial news:

"The People call Hope Hicks." Court officer: "Witness entering."

Hope Hicks takes the stand, raises her right hand and is sworn in.

"I do," she says, softly, before sitting.

Good morning from New York.

Yesterday, attorney Keith Davidson listened to a tape of this passage—and testified that Trump said "I hate the fact that we did it" about the "Stormy Daniels settlement."

A witness who authenticated more tapes is back on the stand today. 🧵 Michael Cohen quoted Trump saying "I hate the fact that we did it" in this tape, which the metadata suggests was recorded on Oct. 16, 2017.

Listen here 🔗🔊 pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrum…

Good morning from New York.

Trump's criminal trial resumes this morning, but before the jury comes in, the judge will hear arguments over the next batch of alleged gag order violations after writing days ago: "jail may be a necessary punishment."

Live coverage ahead 🧵 A quick note:

Justice Merchan scheduled today's hearing well before issuing the ruling that stated "jail may be a necessary punishment," but Trump arguably has been on notice far longer.

See how Trump was "hereby warned" in the judge's order from April 1.

When trial began, prosecutors told jurors that then-Stormy lawyer Keith Davidson asked Dylan Howard on election night when it seemed Trump would win: "What have we done?"

This is the text message exchange. Howard replied: "Oh my god."

Stay tuned for the afternoon session. 🧵 During the morning session, Davidson has been questioned about his texts with Howard — but prosecutors haven't yet gotten to this exchange.

We'll see if they get there by then end of the day.

(Note: The messages previously came into evidence through another witness.)

The National Enquirer's secrets spilled out in Week One of Trump's trial.

We learned:

* Top AMI exec and Enquirer editor feared prosecution
* An insider thought the tabloid handed Trump victory
* "Hush money" was just one facet

My latest @Just_Security justsecurity.org/95264/trump-na… A few quick words on this:

Critics of Manhattan DA Bragg's case have long questioned whether the alleged 2016 election-related conspiracy was a crime.

The first week of trial revealed that Trump's accused co-conspirators feared criminal prosecution, as it happened.

Good morning from New York.

An ex-senior managing director of First Republic Bank is expected to testify how Michael Cohen funneled a $130,000 home equity loan through a shell company to Stormy Daniels' lawyer.

The record came into evidence, but the jury hasn't seen it yet.🧵 When banker Gary Farro began his testimony on Friday, he conveyed that, with Cohen, every request was urgent.

He said this was also true on Oct. 26, 2016, shortly before Election Day, when Cohen set up a bank account Essential Consultants LLC.

https://x.com/KlasfeldReports/status/1783954495216427122

Good morning from New York.

When this photo was taken at the White House in July 2017, Pecker said, Trump asked him: "How's Karen [McDougal] doing?"

Will Trump's lawyer try to undermine it on cross-ex today? Follow along to find out. 🧵 According to the testimony, Trump gave Pecker a "thank you dinner," and Pecker brought along the Enquirer's then-editor-in-chief Dylan Howard.

Pecker said he replied to Trump's inquiry about McDougal:

"She's doing well. She's quiet. Everything is going good."

All of the times David Pecker quoted Michael Cohen or someone else referring to Trump as "The Boss," during the morning session of Thursday's trial proceedings alone.

A thread. 🧵 "Don't worry. I'm your friend. The Boss will take care of it."

— Pecker quotes Cohen on reimbursement for Karen McDougal payoff

News—

Justice Merchan’s signed order to show cause compelling Trump to attend a hearing on his latest alleged gag order violations has been released.



The order to show cause details the four alleged violations.

Read the document here documentcloud.org/documents/2461…

Good morning from New York.

On Day 1 on the stand, David Pecker described how he turned his tabloid empire into the Trump campaign's "eyes and ears": promoting him, attacking his rivals, and silencing "women selling stories."

The ex-AMI chief's testimony resumes today. 🧵

Context for this testimony:

In 2018, the day of Michael Cohen's sentencing, SDNY revealed AMI entered into a non-prosecution deal resolving a campaign finance probe.

AMI admitted the purpose of the Karen McDougal hush money—and agreed to beef up campaign finance compliance.

Trial exhibits:

Some of the National Enquirer headlines that ex-AMI chief David Pecker testified were part of the behind-the-scenes scheme to prop up Trump and discredit his political rivals have been released by the court.

They were entered into evidence on Tuesday.





Behind-the-scenes:

David Pecker testified that Michael Cohen gave story ideas for negative headlines during phone calls, targeting rivals like Ted Cruz, Ben Carson, or Marco Rubio.

"That was the basis of our story, and then we would embellish it from there," Pecker said.