Donald Trump’s well-publicised ‘silence fee’ trial reaches its climactic conclusion, with closing arguments due on Tuesday. The case has held the attention of the US and the rest of the world for weeks, with the potential outcome of the once US president being convicted of criminal offences. Trump, broadly anticipated to be the Republican candidate for the upcoming part of the election in November, stands accused of dishonestly twisting business records. This relates to a payment of $130,000 to adult film artist Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about a supposed sexual affair.
The prosecution stipulates that the funds serve as a form of electoral disturbance because Trump was contesting for the Presidency in the 2016 White House race when he aimed to conceal a potentially harmful scandal. Despite the ongoing trial and the revelation of details about Trump’s interaction with Ms Daniels, there seems to be minor effect on the 2024 election race, with Trump still often overtaking Joe Biden in direct polls.
Trump continually refutes these accusations and has unexpectedly been present at the court for his trial, putting his campaigning on hold. He continues to show discontent towards the justices and his prosecutors on his social media, condensing the trial down to a ‘witch hunt’. Michael Cohen, Trump’s ex-lawyer and aide play a pivotal role in the case, providing evidence about Trump’s involvement in the alleged payment for silence, facing rigorous questioning about his propensity to lie and his evident resentment for his former employer.
The impact of the case hinges heavily on the credibility of Cohen’s testimony, and whether the jury believes in its validity. An unfavourable judgement could see Trump facing possible imprisonment, albeit a scenario largely considered unlikely. Conviction would almost guarantee a protracted series of appeals.
Mr Trump is currently also linked to three distinct criminal trials. The first is due to his alleged attempts to manipulate Georgia’s 2020 election, the second pertains to his behavioural conduct during the January 6th Capitol attack, and lastly, his management of sensitive files after his departure from the presidency is being investigated. Nevertheless, all these trials have experienced delays and none are projected to either commence or come to a conclusion ahead of the forthcoming presidential election. – Reported by The Guardian.