Six key moments in the Trump hush money trial that helped convict the former US president

31 May 2024, 07:07 | Updated: 31 May 2024, 07:08

Donald Trump has become the first former US president to be criminally convicted after he was found guilty on all 34 counts over a hush money payment - here are six key moments in the trial that helped convict him.

The former US president was found guilty on all counts of falsifying business records in relation to a hush money payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 election.

The verdict means Trump has become the first US president in history to have been convicted in a criminal trial.

Reacting to the result, Trump labelled the trial "rigged" and "corrupt" and said it had been "done by the Biden administration".

1. David Pecker’s ‘catch and kill’ scheme

The former publisher of the National Enquirer magazine David Pecker spoke of the “catch and kill” scheme he used to buy negative stories about Trump and bury them.

Mr Pecker told Trump in a 2015 meeting that he’d be his “eyes and ears”. He bought Playboy model Karen McDougal’s silence for $150,000 - who claimed she had a 10-month affair with Trump.

2. The secret recording

In a conversation with his lawyer Michael Cohen, which Trump didn’t know was being recorded, the ex-president can be heard saying: “So, what do we got to pay for this? 150?”

Trump was referring to the $150,000 hush money payment paid to Ms McDougal after she claimed they had a 10-month affair, which he denied.

The payment and recorded discussion of it helped establish the hush money scheme and Trump’s involvement in it.

3. Stormy Daniels’ evidence

Stormy Daniels’ evidence showed to the jury why Donald Trump would have wanted to silence her.

In 2006, the pair met at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. They had a photo taken together and Trump invited Daniels to his hotel suite where they had sex - but Trump has denied this.

When they said goodbye, he said to her: “It was great. Let's get together again, honey bunch.”

Read more: Donald Trump found guilty on all 34 counts in historic hush money trial

Read more: LBC on the ground: New Yorkers react to Donald Trump being found guilty in hush money trial

4. ‘Just do it’ - Michael Cohen’s testimony

In October 2016, Daniels had grown frustrated that she had not received the payment and threatened to take the story to a newspaper.

Cohen said that Trump told him: “There's no reason to keep this thing out there. Just do it.”

Cohen said Trump also said of the story itself: “Push it out past the election, because if I win, it has no relevance and if I lose I don't really care."

This line escalated Trump’s crime to a felony, as it showed intent to commit election fraud.

5. The bank statement

Handwritten notes written by Allen Weisselberg, Trump's chief financial officer, show the amounts for Cohen’s reimbursement.

They show the $130,000 hush money figure, plus add-ons, and multiplied by two to cover tax liability as Cohen was in the 50% tax bracket.

The notes, written on Cohen’s First Republic bank statement, show $420,000 to be paid in several cheques of $35,000.

Cohen testified that he saw Mr Weisselberg write on the document and that Trump approved the reimbursement plan.

6. Hope Hicks

Hope Hicks was the campaign press secretary to Donald Trump in 2016.

Hicks said Trump had told her that Cohen paid off Stormy Daniels out of the “kindness of his own heart” to protect the ex-president “from a false allegation”.

However, Hicks told the court said she thought this was out of character for Cohen who she didn’t know “to be an especially charitable person or selfless person”.

This assessment of Cohen weakened Trump’s explanation and defence.