In a continuation of the criminal trial involving former U.S. President Donald Trump, his former attorney Michael Cohen faced a second day of cross-examination in New York City. The trial centers around charges that Trump falsified business records to conceal payments made to silence adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016.
During the cross-examination, defense attorney Todd Blanche aggressively questioned Cohen about a phone call he claimed to have made to Trump in October 2016 regarding the Stormy Daniels matter. Blanche challenged Cohen with text messages from the same day that suggested the call may have been to Trump Organization security chief Keith Schiller instead.
Despite Blanche's confrontational approach, Cohen maintained that he did speak to Trump about the Daniels situation. The trial has shed light on Cohen's role in arranging a $130,000 payment to Daniels to keep her alleged affair with Trump quiet before the 2016 election.
As the trial nears its conclusion, Cohen is expected to be the final witness for the prosecution. It remains unclear if Trump's defense team will call any witnesses of their own. Deliberations by the jury could begin as soon as next week.
Trump, who denies the allegations of an affair with Daniels, continues to be the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. The outcome of the trial will have significant implications for both Trump and Cohen, as well as potentially shaping the political landscape moving forward.