NEW YORK — The 10th day of Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial commenced with a hearing to determine if the former president had once again violated a gag order. This was followed by further testimony concerning the hush money deal with adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Judge Juan Merchan had previously held Trump in contempt after concluding that Trump committed nine gag order violations. The latest hearing aims to assess whether Trump has continued to breach the order.
Keith Davidson, the former lawyer for both Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal in their hush money arrangements, retook the witness stand around 10 a.m. ET. Davidson testified that he believes he prepared Daniels’ denial in early 2018 of an affair with Trump for The Wall Street Journal, noting that the denial was technically accurate because it referred to a sexual or romantic “relationship” rather than merely an encounter.
Of significant interest to the prosecution, Davidson sent a text message to National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard on the night of the 2016 presidential election, expressing concern about his actions aiding Trump’s campaign. The text read: “What have we done?”
Trump’s attorney, Emil Bove, began cross-examining Davidson around 12 p.m. ET. When asked about a December 2016 phone call with former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, Davidson said, “I thought he was gonna kill himself.” Cohen, he explained, was distressed over not getting a position in Trump’s administration. Cohen had previously floated the idea of becoming Trump’s chief of staff or the U.S. Attorney General.
These developments bring new insights into the alleged hush money schemes and the broader implications for Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. The trial is expected to continue with more testimony and cross-examination in the coming days, shedding light on the intricacies of the case and Trump’s connections with key figures involved in the controversy.
