Trump's trial begins: A historic showdown over silence payment
4:06 PM EDT, April 15, 2024
In New York, the trial against former President Donald Trump is underway, involving a payment for the silence of adult film actress Stormy Daniels. This marks the first criminal proceeding in which Trump appears as a defendant.
The case stems from events during Trump's 2016 election campaign. It involves a payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, among other women and individuals, who possessed material potentially incriminating the former president.
Daniels disclosed to the tabloid "National Enquirer" that she had sexual relations with Trump in 2006, shortly after the birth of his son. Trump paid her $130,000 via his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records related to concealing the real motivation behind the payments misrepresented as legal fees for Cohen.
A historic event: "He will not be able to intimidate anyone"
"The United States will cross a historic threshold on Monday when for the first time a former president goes on criminal trial in a case laced with fateful significance because Donald Trump could be back in the Oval Office next year," CNN reported on Monday.
"Trump appears to be gleaning an understanding that his fate is now out of his hands and will be soon in those of 12 anonymous citizens whom he will not be allowed to bully, persuade or politicize," CNN highlighted in their trial coverage.
In recent weeks, American media have suggested that the Daniels case is regarded as the least severe among four sets of criminal charges facing the Republican presidential candidate. The commencement dates for the other three trials remain unknown.
Source: PAP, CNN
