After six weeks and more than 20 witnesses, lawyers from both sides Donald Trump’s criminal trial will make closing arguments Tuesday, presenting their final arguments to the jury before verdict deliberations begin this week.
Todd Blanche, Trump’s lead lawyer, gave the defense presentation, saying Trump did not commit a crime and saying the prosecution’s key witness in the case, Michael, should not be trusted Cohen. He called Cohen “the biggest liar of all time” and urged jurors to reject his testimony.
Trump is accused of approving a scheme to illegally falsify documents, intended to conceal a $130,000 “hush money” payment made by Cohen to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016. The scheme was designed to circumvent electoral law and maintain power. payment secrecy, prosecutors say. They claim Trump falsely represented reimbursements of the $130,000 payment as monthly checks for ongoing legal services, paid during the first year of his presidency.
Trump’s defense argued that the checks and associated records were accurate. Blanche said the prosecution failed to prove its case and told the jury that Cohen lied about several aspects of the case, at one point calling his claims “absurd.”
Prosecutors will begin their presentation after a lunch break. They said it would take them about four hours.
After the jury hears the submissions from both sides, the judge will give them instructions and deliberations will begin. It could happen as early as Tuesday, but it could be Wednesday.