Trump’s Hush Money Trial: An in-depth look at Porn stars, gag orders, sex scandals, and zzzs

Opening statements are set to be heard in the trial of Donald Trump regarding hush money payments to a porn star.

A jury has been chosen at the New York court for the first criminal trial of a former US president.

Prosecution and defense teams will present their opening remarks followed by witness testimony.

Donald Trump is facing 34 charges of falsifying business records. These charges stem from the $130,000 payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an alleged affair before the 2016 US presidential election, which Trump won.

Trump is accused of altering business records to conceal the payment. His defense argues that the payment was meant to avoid embarrassment for himself and his family, not to influence the election.

Trump denies all charges against him.

Here is an A-Z guide to this historic trial:

A is for AMI, the publisher that includes the National Enquirer magazine. They confessed to their involvement in a scheme to suppress damaging stories about Trump before the 2016 election.

B is for Bragg, referring to Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney leading the prosecution. When announcing the indictment, Bragg stated: “Someone lied again and again to protect their interests and evade the laws to which we are all held accountable.” He has faced racist abuse and death threats. Trump has disparagingly called him a “thug” and a “degenerate psychopath”.

C is for “Catch & Kill,” the term used to describe the scheme to obtain stories of Trump’s extramarital affairs and suppress them before publication.

D is for Daniels, referring to Stormy Daniels, the former porn star who alleges an affair with Trump in 2006. Trump denies the affair, but Daniels claims to have received $130,000 from Trump’s lawyer to keep quiet just before the 2016 election.

Who is Stormy Daniels, the porn star at the center of Trump’s hush money case?

E is for entries, pertaining to entries in Trump’s company records. The “hush money” payments were made by Trump’s lawyer, who was then reimbursed. The reimbursement was recorded as legal expenses, constituting “falsifying business records”.

F is for four years. This is the potential prison term Trump could face for each of the 34 charges, up to a maximum of 20 years. However, a prison sentence is unlikely for a non-violent, first-time offender.

G is for gag order. The judge has prohibited Trump from making public comments about witnesses or other participants in the case. The district attorney alleges Trump has violated this order and seeks a $1,000 fine.

H is for Hope Hicks, Trump’s former press secretary and trusted confidante during the 2016 campaign. She is expected to testify, providing crucial insight into the inner workings of the Trump campaign amidst scandal suppression efforts.

I is for interference, in this case, election interference. Prosecutors argue that the falsification of business records was done to influence the 2016 election.

J is for jury. Seven men and five women have been selected for duty. Six others will serve as alternates. Jurors have undergone extensive screening to ensure impartiality, including questions about their political views and opinions on Trump.

K is for Karen McDougal, the other woman involved in the hush money payments. She alleges a sexual relationship with Trump and received $150,000 for her silence.

L is for liar, a term Trump uses to describe Michael Cohen, the central witness in the prosecution. Cohen, a former lawyer for Trump, admitted to lying to Congress and was jailed for campaign finance violations.

M is for Michael Cohen, the key witness. He was Trump’s personal lawyer involved in the hush money payments and has since turned against Trump, calling him derogatory names.

N is for New York jurisdiction. Trump, a Queens native, is being tried in his home state. However, the jury pool leans Democratic, a concern for Trump’s defense team seeking a fair trial.

O is for other cases. Trump faces three additional criminal prosecutions which are currently stalled in legal proceedings. The Supreme Court will soon decide on Trump’s immunity from prosecution related to the Capitol riots. Two other cases, involving mishandling classified documents and Georgia election interference, are also pending.

P is for Pecker, the owner of AMI publishing, who may be a crucial witness in the case. AMI has admitted to making hush money payments under a “non-prosecution” agreement. Pecker, a longtime Trump ally, agreed to identify negative stories about Trump to prevent their publication.

The key figures in the Donald Trump hush money case

Q is for questions regarding politics and the administration of US justice. Trump points to the partisan leanings of Alvin Bragg as a District Attorney elected in a Democrat campaign.

R is for removal from the campaign trail. Trump has lamented being unable to campaign during this trial, calling it unfair.

S is for the sex scandal that unfolded during the 2016 campaign and led to the hush money payment.



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