Jurors in Donald J. Trump’s criminal trial will start deliberations on Wednesday after hearing extensive closing arguments that framed the case in starkly opposing terms. The jurors will first receive legal instructions from the judge before they begin their deliberations, which could take hours, days, or even weeks to reach a verdict in this historic trial of a former American president.
On Tuesday, the jurors listened to final arguments from both sides. Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass detailed a scheme to silence a porn star’s account of a sexual encounter with Trump just before the 2016 election, alleging that Trump reimbursed his fixer, Michael D. Cohen, for the hush money and falsified records to cover it up. Steinglass argued that the actions were intended to deceive American voters. In contrast, defense lawyer Todd Blanche contended that Trump’s actions were standard business practices and not criminal, attacking Cohen’s credibility and urging the jury to quickly find Trump not guilty.
