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Trump Says Case Is ‘Threat to Democracy’ After Cohen Testimony

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Trump Says Case Is ‘Threat to Democracy’ After Cohen Testimony
Former President Donald Trump at his criminal trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court, in New York City, on May 13, 2024. SPENCER PLATT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
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What Happened Today
Trump: Case Is 'Threat to Democracy
Cohen: Weisselberg Told Trump Cohen Payments Were for Legal Services
Cohen Says Weisselberg Asked for Bank Statement
Cohen Angry About 2016 Bonus
What Happened Today
Trump: Case Is 'Threat to Democracy
Cohen: Weisselberg Told Trump Cohen Payments Were for Legal Services
Cohen Says Weisselberg Asked for Bank Statement
Cohen Angry About 2016 Bonus
Cohen Wanted Personal Attorney Position
Cohen Says He Didn't Want White House Role
Cohen Says Call Log With Schiller Was 'Serious' Talk With Trump
Cohen Tried to Connect With Campaign After WSJ Story
Cohen Says He Signed NDA
Cohen Recorded Weisselberg Call

Cohen Says Weisselberg, Trump Assured Him of Reimbursement
Cohen Says He Acted as Surrogate of Campaign
Cohen Says He Told Trump
Cohen Says He Lied to Bank
Lawmakers Stick By Trump in Courthouse
Cohen Testifies About Stormy Contact
Cohen Says Trump 'Wasn't Thinking About Melania' When It Came to Stormy Story
Cohen Says Trump Was Angry Over Stormy Story
Cohen Testifies About Stormy Daniels Story
Cohen Says He Asked for Related Article Takedown 'To Get Credit' After Access Hollywood Tape
Cohen Discussed Story With Chris Cuomo
Cohen Says 'Locker Room' Response Was From Melania
Attorneys Show Campaign Emails About Access Hollywood Tape
Cohen, Pecker Give Different Takes On Contract Fallout
Cohen Says He Gave Trump 'Complete and Total Update' About Deal
Cohen Testifies About Conversation With Trump
Prosecutors Play Cohen-Trump Tape
Former President Donald Trump looks on during his criminal trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court, in New York City, on May 13, 2024. (STEVEN HIRSCH/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Former President Donald Trump looks on during his criminal trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court, in New York City, on May 13, 2024. STEVEN HIRSCH/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Cohen Taped Trump to Show Pecker
Cohen Was Worried Pecker Had Other Articles on Trump
Cohen Discusses Reimbursement for McDougal Story
Cohen Says He Worked With Davidson in 2011
Cohen Testifies About McDougal Agreement
Cohen Says Trump Told Him to 'Handle' Negative Story
Cohen Testifies About Key 2015 Meeting
Cohen Testifies About Campaigning for Trump
Cohen Said He Encouraged Trump Political Run
Prosecutors Ask About Story Suppression
Cohen Testifies on Contacts, Key Communications in Case
Cohen Says He Lied and Bullied to Accomplish Tasks
Cohen: 'Amazing Experience' Working for Trump
Cohen: Trump Had 'Open Door Policy'
Former President Donald Trump speaks to the media during his criminal trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court, in New York City, on May 13, 2024. (SPENCER PLATT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Former President Donald Trump speaks to the media during his criminal trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court, in New York City, on May 13, 2024. SPENCER PLATT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Cohen Says He Threatened Lawsuits
Cohen Describes Work for Trump: 'Like I Was on Top of the World'
Cohen Recounts Trump Meeting
Michael Cohen Testifies
Judge Denies DA Motion to Enter Weisselberg Severance Agreement
(L-R) US Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) arrive for former US President Donald Trump's trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affair with Stormy Daniels, at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, on May 13, 2024. (SPENCER PLATT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
(L-R) US Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) arrive for former US President Donald Trump's trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affair with Stormy Daniels, at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, on May 13, 2024. SPENCER PLATT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Lawmakers Stand By Trump in Courthouse
Massive Turnout as Trial Reaches Climax
Key Prosecution Witness Michael Cohen to Testify in Trump Trial
Key Prosecution Witness Michael Cohen to Testify in Trump Trial
Donald Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen looks on at court during a break in the former president’s fraud trial in New York City on Oct. 25, 2023. Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

With prosecutors expecting to call only two more witnesses before resting their case against former President Donald Trump, the trial this coming week is sure to feature extensive testimony by the Manhattan District Attorney’s star witness, Michael Cohen.

The controversial ex-Trump lawyer originated the claims that led to the 34-count criminal indictment of President Trump, alleging that 11 invoices that Mr. Cohen billed and their corresponding check payments and vouchers were falsified business records created to cover up a scheme to influence the 2016 elections.

Prosecutors allege that the payments to Mr. Cohen were not in fact legal expenses but reimbursement for a “hush money” payment. They spent earlier parts of the trial establishing context with witnesses on the peripheries of these transactions but have not yet presented in court testimony directly alleging President Trump’s involvement.

Judge Asks Michael Cohen to Stop Talking About Trump Trial on TikTok
Judge Asks Michael Cohen to Stop Talking About Trump Trial on TikTok
Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen arrives at the district attorney's office to complete his testimony before a grand jury in New York City on March 15, 2023. Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images

NEW YORK—At the end of a week of lively direct and cross-examination in the criminal trial of Donald J. Trump, his lawyers asked Justice Juan Merchan to impose a gag order on Michael Cohen, the defendant’s former attorney and “fixer,” who they said has not refrained from attacking President Trump on social media despite repeated promises to do so.

Attorney Todd Blanche got up in the courtroom to argue that it was unfair for Mr. Cohen to attack President Trump constantly in a public forum while the GOP’s front-runner is himself subject to a gag order so strict that Justice Merchan earlier this week threatened to impose a jail sanction in the event of further violations.

But the government’s lawyer, Joshua Steinglass, promptly fired back at the defense, saying that prosecutors had already strongly urged Mr. Cohen to cease his antics.