Closing Arguments in ‘Hush Money’ Case Presented This Week

Plus: ‘Reagan’ Star Dennis Quaid Praises Trump

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Closing Arguments in ‘Hush Money’ Case Presented This Week
‘Reagan’ Star Dennis Quaid Praises Trump
Fed Rate Cuts Unlikely This Summer
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Closing Arguments in ‘Hush Money’ Case Presented This Week

Former President Trump and Manhattan prosecutors are set to present their closing arguments in the hush money trial, where Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records. The Hill reported that the defense’s Todd Blanche aims to establish reasonable doubt, portraying Trump as innocent and attacking the credibility of key witness Michael Cohen.

Trump attorney Todd Blanche previously told the jury that they would be left with “plenty” of reasonable doubt at the end of the trial and swiftly acquit the former president on all charges. 

“He’s cloaked in innocence,” Blanche told the jury. “And that cloak of innocence does not leave President Trump today. It doesn’t leave him at any day during this trial. And it won’t leave him when you all deliberate. You will find that he is not guilty.”

Many legal experts doubt all 12 New Yorkers would unanimously agree to acquit Trump, suggesting the defense will instead be inclined to hope for a lone holdout who could create a hung jury, which would end with Merchan declaring a mistrial.

“If I were advising defense counsel, I would say don’t go for an acquittal,” said John Coffee, a Columbia Law School professor who’s closely followed the case.  

The prosecution’s Matthew Colangelo will argue that the evidence proves Trump's guilt.

Coffee, the Columbia Law School professor, said the strategy lessens Cohen’s role by having earlier witnesses carry the load of explaining the purpose of the alleged conspiracy. 

“The prosecution will be emphasizing that Mr. Cohen’s testimony overlaps with most other witnesses. … It’s like a jigsaw puzzle; he is the one piece that fits and makes everything else consistent,” Coffee said.

It’s a theme prosecutors have regularly emphasized to jurors as they watched the roughly four weeks of testimony and examined dozens of emails, text messages, phone records and other documents. 

The jury’s deliberation follows a week-long break of hearing who knows what from their family and friends. Judge Juan Merchan said that closing arguments may extend over two days.

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