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On Monday, May 20, former President Donald Trump's hush money trial witnessed significant developments as the prosecution rested its case following crucial testimony from Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer and fixer. Cohen admitted to stealing funds from Trump's company, describing it as a form of “self-help“ due to his frustrations over financial disputes. This revelation, brought to light during cross-examination, could undermine Cohen's credibility with the jury. Cohen confessed to keeping a substantial portion of $50,000 meant for a technology company, only paying them $20,000 in cash. He justified his actions by citing his resentment over a reduced bonus after he personally funded $130,000 to silence Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress, who threatened to expose an alleged affair with Trump before the 2016 election. Prosecutors allege that Trump illegally covered up this payment, which Cohen testified he discussed with Trump over 20 times in October 2016. Cohen's testimony challenges Trump's defense that the payment was solely to avoid personal embarrassment and not to influence the election. As the defense began presenting their case, tensions rose when lawyer Robert Costello received a reprimand from Justice Juan Merchan for showing dissatisfaction in court. Costello testified that Cohen had previously claimed he had no incriminating information on Trump and that Trump was unaware of the payment to Daniels, statements Cohen later contradicted. The trial, marking the first criminal prosecution of a former U.S. president, sees Trump facing 34 counts of falsifying business records. The former president, who denies the allegations, has characterized the trial as a politically motivated attempt to derail his 2024 presidential campaign. Trump's legal team has yet to decide whether he will testify. As proceedings continue, the court expects closing arguments next week, followed by jury deliberations. This trial, although considered the least significant among Trump's four criminal cases, is anticipated to be the only one to conclude before the 2024 election. Trump's other legal challenges include charges related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and mishandling classified documents, all of which he has denied. #donaldtrump #hushmoney #trump #worldnews n18oc_world n18oc_crux CRUX is your daily video news guide to the big events that are shaping our world. We track news, geopolitics, diplomacy and defence strategies and explain how they shape national policies. Crux makes sense of global developments, and analyses their impact on daily lives. Follow CRUX on Telegram: Follow CRUX on Instagram (@): Follow CRUX on Facebook: #GetCloserToTheNews with latest headlines on politics, sports and entertainment on Also watch: Crux Decode: Crux : Crux Most Watched:
