The fate of Trump in hush money trial will now be decided by the jury, following lengthy closing arguments – Tennessee Lookout

Following the conclusion of closing arguments in the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president, the jury is now tasked with deciding if ex-President Donald Trump is guilty of faking reimbursements to his personal lawyer for hush money paid to a porn star before the 2016 election. The defense painted Trump as a victim of extortion while the prosecution argued that Trump aimed to deceive voters. The trial, taking place in Lower Manhattan, focuses on alleged payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Trump denies any wrongdoing, claiming the encounter never took place. The defense emphasized that the payments were routine “legal expenses” and that Trump was too busy as president to be aware of the details. Actor Robert DeNiro and U.S. Capitol Police officers made statements near the courthouse, with DeNiro slamming Trump for inciting chaos. The prosecution highlighted Trump’s effort to suppress negative stories, including payments to silence women alleging affairs. Trump’s attorney argued that the existence of a nondisclosure agreement is not a crime and questioned the credibility of key witness Michael Cohen. The prosecution stressed that Trump benefitted the most from the conspiracy and urged jurors to focus on false business records. Jurors also heard from several witnesses, including former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker. The trial, likely the only one before the November election, has generated intense interest and debate about the former president’s alleged misconduct.

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