Trump ‘falls asleep in court’
Donald Trump appeared to fall asleep in court on the first day of his hush money case as he became the first US president to stand criminal trial.
Mr Trump seemingly dozed off on Monday morning in the New York courtroom as his lawyers clashed with prosecutors over what evidence would be admissible in the case.
The former president has been charged with falsifying business records ahead of the 2016 election to cover up a $130,000 (£104,000) payment made to Stormy Daniels, an adult film star.
Mr Trump allegedly authorised the payment to hide an affair with her and influence the election result. He has pleaded not guilty and denied having a relationship with Ms Daniels.
The New York Times reported that Mr Trump appeared to fall asleep just hours into the trial, with his head dropping down before he jolted awake. He seemed more alert after lunch, when he was seen talking animatedly with his lawyers.
The 77-year-old – who frequently calls Joe Biden “Sleepy Joe” – will be required to attend court four days a week for the rest of the trial.
The proceedings are expected to last roughly six weeks, and will see a parade of Mr Trump’s former aides, allies and alleged mistresses take to the witness stand against the former president.
On Monday, prosecutors argued that Mr Trump had repeatedly flouted a gag order intended to protect witnesses and jurors in the days before the trial began.
The court heard that Mr Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee ahead of November’s election, attempted to intimidate key witnesses by labelling them “sleazebags”.
Cohen credibility
Joshua Steinglass, acting for the prosecution, claimed that the former president had mounted a “thinly veiled attempt to intimidate” Ms Daniels and Michael Cohen, his former lawyer, to “keep [them] off this stand”.
At one point, the prosecution suggested he may have violated the gag order from inside the courthouse, referring to a post on Mr Trump’s Truth Social account that branded Mr Cohen a “serial perjurer”.
In recent days, Mr Trump also called his former lawyer a “disgraced attorney and felon”. Mr Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 for tax evasion and campaign finance violations.
The credibility of Mr Cohen may be a key factor in the case as he testifies for the government against his former boss.
Just days before the 2016 election, Mr Cohen made a $130,000 payment to Ms Daniels, who claims she had a sexual encounter with Mr Trump in 2006.
Mr Trump allegedly reimbursed Mr Cohen in 2017 and reported the reimbursement as legal fees.
Hope Hicks, a long-time Trump aide, is expected to testify against her former boss.
Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model with whom Mr Trump allegedly had an affair before buying her silence, is another likely witness.
‘Assault on America’
Media helicopters followed Mr Trump’s motor convoy as he left Trump Tower and headed for the court in lower Manhattan.
Although his mandatory court appearances mean he cannot take to the campaign trail, he used the court as a backdrop to a stump speech, claiming he was being persecuted by Joe Biden.
The presumptive Republican nominee told reporters he was “proud to be” at the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, before claiming Mr Biden was using the trial as “an attack on a political opponent”. He added: “It’s an assault on America.”
He then headed in to take his seat. Photographs and sketches of Mr Trump in court showed him flanked by his lawyers, with his brow furrowed and hands clasped on the table in front of him.
The early weeks of the trial will be devoted to selecting jurors, with Mr Trump – despite having been synonymous with New York for decades as a real estate developer – claiming it would be impossible to receive a fair trial in the city.
Thousands of prospective jurors will answer dozens of questions before they can be whittled down to the 12 men and women who will decide whether to convict the former president.
They will be quizzed on their level of education, what social media they use, and whether they have listened to Mr Cohen’s podcast or read Mr Trump’s books, among other considerations.
If Mr Trump is found guilty, it could mean he serves time in prison. There is no constitutional rule barring candidates from running a campaign from behind bars.
Monday’s court proceedings mean that Mr Trump is the only US president to have stood trial on criminal counts.
Richard Nixon was protected from criminal prosecution following the Watergate scandal when his successor, Gerald Ford, controversially pardoned him.
A grand jury that investigated Nixon had planned to charge him with bribery, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and obstruction of a criminal investigation. Several members of his administration stood trial and were convicted.
08:57 PM BST
That’s all for now
Thanks for following our live coverage as Donald Trump became the first US president to stand criminal trial. This live blog is now closed.
08:36 PM BST
Jurors ‘crane their necks to stare at Trump’
Donald Trump is now looking straight ahead and appears expressionless – unlike the prospective jurors. Several are craning their necks to look at the former president, while one giggled before stifling it with a hand over her mouth.
08:32 PM BST
Trump family and aides could be called as witnesses
Numerous members of Donald Trump’s family and administration could be called to testify over the coming weeks in the hush money case, Juan M. Merchan said.
Among the relatives listed by the judge were Melania Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.
Those who served Mr Trump in the White House include Steve Bannon, Kellyanne Conway, Reince Priebus and Hope Hicks.
08:29 PM BST
Half of potential jurors ‘can’t be fair or impartial’
At least 50 of the 96 potential jurors have reportedly been excused from serving after saying that they could not be fair or impartial in the case.
08:17 PM BST
Trump’s eyes are closed – again
Donald Trump’s eyes are closed while juror selection gets underway, according to US media. It is unclear whether he is asleep.
07:58 PM BST
Trial ‘will last roughly six weeks’
Juan M. Merchan told jurors that the case will last roughly six weeks. Donald Trump will have to attend court for that time.
07:38 PM BST
First potential jurors enter courtroom
The first group of potential jurors, who have been drawn from the Manhattan area, have now entered the courtroom.
Juan M. Merchan will deliver a summary of the case before lawyers on both sides evaluate their fitness to serve, based on a pre-agreed list of 42 questions.
07:22 PM BST
Trump ‘more animated’ after lunch
Donald Trump seems more active now that he has returned from lunch, US media reports.
Having appeared to have fallen asleep at least once in the proceedings earlier today, he has been talking with his defence team since they returned from the break.
07:04 PM BST
Merchan delays ruling on alleged gag order violations
Juan M. Merchan said he will hear arguments on whether Donald Trump should be punished for allegedly violating a gag order on Sunday, April 21.
06:50 PM BST
Trump: I’m proud to be here
06:39 PM BST
Trump ‘intimidating witnesses’ with sleazebag jibe, court hears
Donald Trump attempted to intimidate key witnesses in his hush money case by labelling them “sleazebags”, the court heard.
Joshua Steinglass, acting for the prosecution, claimed that the former president had mounted a “thinly-veiled attempt to intimidate” Stormy Daniels, the adult film star with whom he allegedly had an affair, and Michael Cohen, his former lawyer.
In doing so, he argued, Mr Trump was attempting to “keep witnesses off this stand” and had violated a gag order imposed by the judge meant to protect witnesses from attacks.
Todd Blanche, acting for Mr Trump, argued that he had been simply “defending himself” from attacks to his “millions and millions of followers.”
Mr Trump has repeatedly tested the limits of the gag order in the days before he became the first US President to stand criminal trial.
In addition to the sleazebag jibe, he called his former lawyer a “disgraced attorney and felon” and suggested he should be prosecuted for lying. Mr Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 for tax evasion and campaign finance violations.
06:35 PM BST
Court returns from lunch break
Court has now resumed after breaking for lunch.
06:17 PM BST
Biden ‘will not issue statement on Trump trial’
Joe Biden is reportedly not going to comment on the start of Donald Trump’s hush money trial today. Earlier today, Mr Trump alleged his political opponent was “very much involved” in his prosecution.
05:39 PM BST
Court breaks for lunch
The court has broken for lunch. It will resume at 6:30pm BST (1:30pm ET).
05:37 PM BST
Trump ‘may have violated gag order inside courthouse’
The prosecution has asked the judge to impose a sanction of $1,000 for every time Donald Trump violates the gag order. They also want him to order the former president to take down three offending Truth Social posts.
One lawyer said he had been alerted to another such post from this morning, adding: “It’s entirely possible it was done inside this courthouse.”
The post in question shares and quotes a New York Post article which refers to Michael Cohen, the Trump lawyer turned government witness, as a “serial perjurer”.
05:32 PM BST
Meet Juan Merchan, the judge in Donald Trump’s hush money trial
The judge overseeing the hush-money criminal case against Donald Trump has crossed legal paths with the former president before.
In 2022 Justice Juan Manuel Merchan presided over the tax-fraud trial that led to the conviction of Allen Weisselberg, the Trump Organization’s chief financial officer.
He is also the judge in the fraud and money laundering case against top Trump ally Steve Bannon.
But Mr Trump’s hush-money trial, which started on Monday, is by far the highest profile case of Justice Merchan’s 17 years on the bench.
Read the full article from Verity Bowman here.
05:20 PM BST
Prosecutors can submit evidence on Trump’s Cohen attacks
Juan M. Merchan ruled that prosecutors can submit evidence on Donald Trump’s attacks on Michael Cohen – but only if the defence questions Mr Cohen’s credibility as a witness, US media reports.
05:16 PM BST
Pictured: Trump returns to courtroom after break
05:14 PM BST
‘We have 500 jurors waiting on us’
Juan M. Merchan signalled he is keen to get on with the process of jury selection as the jury and prosecution battle over what evidence is admissible.
“We have about 500 jurors waiting on us. And to be honest with you I really am not interested in getting into this minutiae,” he said, according to US media.
05:05 PM BST
Trump ‘proud to be’ in court for criminal trial
Donald Trump said he was “proud to be here” when he headed into a Manhattan courthouse to become the first US President to stand criminal trial over alleged hush money payments.
He told reporters before the trial started: “Nobody’s ever seen anything like it… it’s a case that should never have been brought, it’s an assault on America.
“And that’s why I’m very proud to be here. This is an assault on our country. And it’s a country that’s failing.
“It’s a country that’s run by an incompetent man who’s very much involved in this case. This is very much an attack on a political opponent, that’s all this is.”
Mr Trump has been charged with falsifying business records ahead of the 2016 election to cover up a $130,000 payment made to stop Stormy Daniels, an adult film star, talking about their alleged affair. He has pleaded not guilty and denied the affair.
05:03 PM BST
How much will jury be told about Cohen guilty pleas?
The prosecution and defence sparred over how much the jury can be told about Michael Cohen’s crimes after the court returned from a break..
A former lawyer for Mr Trump, now a government witness, Mr Cohen pleaded guilty to eight criminal counts including tax evasion and campaign finance violations in 2018.
What the jury can be told is a crucial point in this case, because it may affect whether they view Mr Cohen as a credible witness against his former boss.
04:47 PM BST
What else has Trump said about Michael Cohen?
Donald Trump has tested the limits of the gag order impose by the court in recent days by attacking Michael Cohen, his former lawyer turned government witness.
In addition to calling him a “sleazebag”, Mr Trump called Mr Cohen – who was sentenced to three years in prison for tax evasion and campaign finance violations in 2018 – as a “disgraced attorney and felon”.
He wrote on his Truth Social platform, just days before the trial began: “Has disgraced attorney and felon Michael Cohen been prosecuted for LYING? Only TRUMP people get prosecuted by this Judge and these thugs!”
04:40 PM BST
Pictured: Trump huddles with lawyer on first day of hush money trial
04:37 PM BST
Trump back in courtroom after break
Donald Trump has returned to the courtroom after a brief pause in the proceedings.
04:33 PM BST
Prosecution: Trump violated gag order
Joshua Steinglass, acting for the prosecution, argued that Donald Trump had violated a gag order by mounting a “thinly-veiled effort to intimidate” two key witnesses in the trial.
He cites a post from Mr Trump’s Truth Social platform in which he refers to “two sleazebags” – Stormy Daniels, with whom he allegedly had an affair, and Michael Cohen, his former lawyer.
The former president mounted a “pressure campaign” that was meant to “keep witnesses off this stand, at this trial”, Mr Steinglass argued.
Todd Blanche, acting for Mr Trump, argued that he had been simply “defending himself” from attacks to his “millions and millions of followers.”
04:27 PM BST
Judge allows testimony on Playboy model payment
Juan M. Merchan said he will allow testimony on a payment to Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model, over an alleged affair with Donald Trump.
Ms McDougal was paid $150,000 in 2016 by the parent company of the National Enquirer for the rights to her story following her alleged 10-month relationship with Mr Trump.
The judge agreed with the prosecution’s arguments, saying it would help prosecutors present a “narrative” and “lay the proper foundation” for their case.
However, prosecutors will not be allowed to make reference to the fact that Melania Trump was pregnant at the time of the alleged affair. The former president denies having a relationship with Ms McDougal.
04:23 PM BST
Merchan defends ‘extensive questionnaire’ from Trump criticisms
Donald Trump’s legal team asked Juan M. Merchan to expand the questionnaire – already 42 questions long – used to select jurors for the former president’s hush money trial.
The judge declined the request and dismissed arguments that the questions were weighted in favour of the prosecution.
“There is no asymmetry in the questionnaire when looked through the lens of what we’re trying to accomplish,” he said. “This is by far the most exhaustive questionnaire this court has ever used.”
04:13 PM BST
Pictured: Trump in court in criminal trial
04:12 PM BST
Prosecution cannot play Access Hollywood tape
Juan M. Merchan reiterated his ruling that the prosecution cannot play the Access Hollywood footage. “The tape itself should not come in,” he said.
03:54 PM BST
Prosecution wants to show Access Hollywood tape
The prosecution has said it wants to introduce the Access Hollywood tape – in which Donald Trump boasted he could “grab” women without consent – prompting tensions to flare in the courtroom.
It is attempting to suggest that the Trump campaign was determined to stop more damaging stories from surfacing ahead of the 2016 election, including his alleged affair with Stormy Daniels.
Mr Trump’s team hit back, arguing that the move would be too prejudicial, NBC News reports.
03:39 PM BST
Trump asks for permission to attend son’s graduation
Donald Trump’s lawyers have requested that the trial will not be held on May 17, so that he can attend his son Barron’s high school graduation.
Merchan said he was not prepared to rule on either request, but that if the trial proceeds as planned he would be willing to adjounr the trial.
03:38 PM BST
‘There will be no doubt how jurors feel about Trump’
Juan M. Mechan has been asked by Donald Trump’s legal team to identify whether prospective jurors are pro- or anti-Trump, US media reports.
“There will be no doubt how the prospective juror feels about Mr. Trump” by the time they’re done with the questioning,” he answers.
Hundreds of prospective jurors will answer dozens of questions before potentially being selected, including whether they have read Mr Trump’s books or use his social media platform.
03:25 PM BST
Judge refuses request to recuse himself
Juan M. Merchan, the judge overseeing Trump’s hush money trial, has denied a request from Donald Trump’s legal team to recuse himself from the case.
03:17 PM BST
Pictured: Trump speaks to media on first day of trial
03:10 PM BST
Court now in session
The court is now in sessions. Judge Juan Merchan has entered the courtroom and is now on the bench.
02:57 PM BST
Trump attacks ‘crooked judge’ ahead of trial
Donald Trump attacked the “crooked judge” presiding over his hush money case just hours before he became the first US President to stand criminal trial.
Mr Trump claimed the proceedings were “rigged” against him and complained about a gag order that Juan M. Merchan imposed which bans him from attacking witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors.
“I want my VOICE back,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform. “This Crooked Judge has GAGGED me. Unconstitutional! The other side can talk about me, but I am not allowed to talk about them. Rigged trial!”
Mr Trump has been charged with falsifying business records ahead of the 2016 election to cover up a $130,000 payment made to stop Stormy Daniels, an adult film star, talking about their alleged affair. He has pleaded not guilty and denied the affair.
Mr Trump wrote in a separate post on Monday morning: “Why didn’t they bring this totally discredited lawsuit 7 years ago??? Election Interference.”
02:48 PM BST
‘It’s an assault on America’
Before heading into the Manhattan courthouse, Donald Trump told reporters: “Nobody’s ever seen anything like it… it’s a case that should never have been brought, it’s an assault on America.
“And that’s why I’m very proud to be here. This is an assault on our country. And it’s a country that’s failing.
“It’s a country that’s run by an incompetent man who’s very much involved in this case. This is very much an attack on a political opponent, that’s all this is.”
02:36 PM BST
Trump’s hush money trial gets underway
Donald Trump’s hush money case, the first of his four criminal indictments to come to trial, has now begun. Cameras are not allowed in the courtroom.
02:08 PM BST
Trump arrives at court
Donald Trump has now arrived at the Manhattan courthouse where he will stand trial for allegedly falsifying business records ahead of the 2016 election.
02:02 PM BST
What time does the trial begin?
Donald Trump’s hush money case will begin in Manhattan at 2:30pm BST (9:30 ET). The former president’s motorcade is currently heading through New York to the courthouse.
02:00 PM BST
What will happen in court today?
The first two weeks of the trial are expected to be devoted to jury selection: picking out the 12 men and women who will decide whether to convict Donald Trump.
Hundreds of potential jurors, drawn from Manhattan, will answer a list of 42 questions that has been fought over by both sides and selected by the judge, Juan M. Merchan.
They will be asked about their education level, employment, whether they belong to any extremist groups. what news they consume, and what social media sites they use – including Mr Trump’s Truth Social platform.
Whether they have listened to podcasts by Michael Cohen, Mr Trump’s former lawyer and a key witness in the case, will also be considered.
01:43 PM BST
Trump leaves Trump Tower
Donald Trump has now left Trump Tower to head to the New York courthouse where he will stand criminal trial. He waved and clenched his fist, did not issue any comments to the waiting media before his convoy departed.
01:42 PM BST
Welcome to the live blog
Hello and welcome to our live coverage as Donald Trump’s hush money trial gets underway. Benedict Smith here. We’ll be bringing you the latest updates as he becomes the first US President to stand criminal trial.
