Sparks fly during intense closing arguments as Trump’s hush money trial concludes

The jury in the historic hush money trial of former US President Donald Trump is set to begin deliberations after closing arguments concluded on Tuesday in a Manhattan courtroom. The trial revolves around allegations that Trump falsified business records to cover up payments to adult actress Stormy Daniels, with whom he had an affair.

Prosecutors argue that Trump directed his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, to make a $130,000 payment to Daniels in exchange for her silence about a sexual encounter they had in 2006. The payments to Cohen were allegedly falsely recorded as “legal expenses” to conceal the true nature of the transactions.

Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing, faces 34 counts of falsifying business records, each punishable by up to four years in prison. The defence has attacked Cohen’s credibility, portraying him as a liar with a personal vendetta against Trump.

Prosecutors, on the other hand, argue that the case is about a conspiracy and cover-up to influence the 2016 election by suppressing damaging stories about Trump’s personal life. They contend that the timing of the payments to Daniels, just before the election, was not a coincidence.

Outside the courthouse, the Trump and Biden campaigns engaged in duelling press conferences, with each side seeking to score political points. The Biden campaign deployed actor Robert De Niro and police officers who defended the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, to criticize Trump, while Trump’s campaign accused the trial of being politically motivated.

As the jury prepares to deliberate, the case has become a focal point for political rhetoric, with both sides using politicized language to frame the narrative. The outcome of the trial could have significant implications for Trump’s future political ambitions.