Former President Donald Trump is set to return to Manhattan Criminal Court today for further witness testimony in his New York hush money trial, with adult film actress Stormy Daniels reportedly scheduled to take the stand.
During Monday’s proceedings, Judge Juan Merchan found Trump in contempt of court for the tenth time, imposing another $1,000 fine and warning of potential jail time for future violations of the gag order.
The jury heard testimony from two additional witnesses, Jeffrey McConney and Deborah Tarasoff, regarding the paper trail within the Trump Organization related to Michael Cohen’s $130,000 payment to Daniels.
This payment was allegedly made to secure her silence about a sexual encounter she claims to have had with Trump, which his inner circle feared could harm his 2016 presidential campaign.
The prosecution informed Judge Merchan that they anticipate concluding their case within about two weeks, with Cohen expected to be among the witnesses yet to testify.
Monday’s session followed Friday’s emotional testimony from former White House communication director Hope Hicks, who recounted the panic within Trump’s team when the Access Hollywood tape was first revealed.