After months of delays and challenges, The People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump (i.e. the ‘hush money’ trial against former President Donald Trump) began in Manhattan criminal court on April 15.
The trial — which is presided over by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan and is expected to last six to eight weeks — marks the first-ever criminal trial of a former president. The judge has indicated the proceedings are on or slightly ahead of schedule, which means the trial is now more than halfway through.
In the aftermath of more than seven hours of salacious testimony from adult film star Stormy Daniels, the prosecution finally called its ‘star’ witness to the stand on Monday – former Trump ‘fixer’ Michael Cohen.
After prosecutors wrapped their direct examination, the Trump defense team took over for cross-examination and things got interesting. After a day and a half of cross aimed at further weakening his credibility, Cohen had admitted to wanting to see his ex-boss in jail, lying under oath in a previous case, improperly documenting his own time, and more.
To keep you up to date on everything that is happening in the case, we’ve rounded up the best commentary from Megyn and her guests this week on the witnesses, the legal precedent, and more.
[Editor’s Note: You can catch up on week one, week two, week three, week four of the trial.]
The Witnesses
Michael Cohen ‘Loved’ Donald Trump… Until He Completely Changed His Tune
Megyn is joined by legal experts Viva Frei and Phil Holloway to discuss Cohen’s original story that he paid Daniels out of “love” and “loyalty,” what made him completely change his tune and hate Trump, and more.
Cohen Crushed on Cross-Examination by Trump Defense Team
Megyn is joined by attorneys Marcia Clark and Mark Geragos to discuss the details of the fiery cross-examination of Cohen by Trump’s defense team, his glaring credibility issues, whether his public hatred of Trump will affect how the jury sees him, and more.
Michael Cohen vs. Defense on Stand – Is He Hurting the Case Against Trump?
Megyn is joined by legal experts Dave Aronberg and Andy McCarthy to discuss Cohen getting hammered on cross examination, whether he is hurting the prosecution’s case despite being their supposed ‘star’ witness, and more.
Legal Analysis
Could Cohen’s Glaring Credibility Issues Torpedo the Case Against Trump?
Megyn, Frei, and Holloway discuss Trump’s former lawyer and ‘fixer’ Cohen on the stand at the Trump trial in NYC, why Cohen and Stormy Daniels could be extortionists, the sleazy and shady reasons Cohen should not be trusted, the lack of evidence in the case, and more.
Why It Matters That Cohen Secretly Recorded His Client, Donald Trump
Megyn, Frei, and Holloway to discuss the shady reason Cohen secretly recorded Trump, his credibility issues on the stand, and more.
Will Trump Trial Jurors Believe Convicted Felon and Liar Michael Cohen?
Megyn, Aronberg, and McCarthy discuss whether the jury will believe Cohen despite his history of lying, his changing story in the media vs. on the stand, and more.
The Importance of Whether Trump ‘Reimbursed’ Michael Cohen For Stormy Payment
Megyn, Aronberg, and McCarthy break down the details of the alleged “hush money” payment to Daniels, all the discussion about whether or not Trump “reimbursed” Cohen, and more.
Did Cohen Get Caught Lying on Stand, Ruining Entire Case Against Trump?
Megyn is joined by Dan Bongino, host of The Dan Bongino Show, to discuss Cohen’s rough cross-examination, whether the biased New York City jury will hate Cohen or Trump more, the sleazy and slimy stories coming out about him while he is on the stand, and more.
The Media
Huh? CNN Reenacts Trump Testimony, Maddow Says Cohen Is ‘Agatha Christie’
Megyn is joined by the hosts of Ruthless – Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, and John Ashbrook – to discuss the strange reenactment of Trump trial testimony on CNN, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O’Donnell praising Cohen as “Agatha Christie” and the son of a Holocaust survivor, and more.
The Bizarre History of Michael Cohen’s Once Cozy Relationship with CNN
Megyn and Ruthless take a closer look at the cozy relationship between Cohen and the media, the audio files revealing his private discussions with former CNN president Jeff Zucker and host Chris Cuomo, how it illustrates the shadiness of the press, and more.
You can check out Megyn’s full analysis by tuning in to The Megyn Kelly Show on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch the program live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.