Porn stars, gag orders, sex scandals and zzzs: The A to Z of Trump’s hush money trial
Opening statements are due to be heard in the trial of Donald Trump over hush money payments to a porn star.
A jury has been selected at the New York court which will witness the first criminal trial of a former US president.
Opening remarks by the prosecution and defence teams will be followed by evidence from witnesses.
Donald Trump faces 34 charges of falsifying business records. They relate to $130,000 paid to porn star Stormy Daniels to buy her silence about an alleged affair in the days before the 2016 US presidential election, which Trump won.
He is accused of criminally altering business records to cover up the payment. His lawyers say the payment was meant to spare himself and his family embarrassment, not to help him win the election.
Trump denies the charges against him.
Below is an A-Z guide of this historic trial:
A is for AMI, the publishing company whose portfolio includes the National Enquirer magazine. It admitted its involvement in a scheme to suppress damaging stories about Trump prior to the 2016 election.
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Trump slams ‘hoax’ trial
B is for Bragg, as in Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney who has brought this prosecution. Upon issuing the indictment, Mr Bragg said: “Someone lied again and again to protect their interests and evade the laws to which we are all held accountable.” He has been the target of racist abuse and death threats. Trump has called him a “thug” and a “degenerate psychopath”.
C is for “Catch & Kill”, the prosecution label for the scheme to “catch” stories of Trump’s extra-marital liaisons and “kill” them before they could be published.
D is for Daniels, as in Stormy Daniels. The former porn star – real name Stephanie Clifford – claims she had an affair with Trump in 2006 after meeting him at a golf tournament. He denies they had an affair. Ms Daniels claims she accepted $130,000 from Trump’s lawyer to keep it quiet, days before the 2016 election.
Who is Stormy Daniels, the porn star at centre of Trump’s hush money case?
E is for entries, as in entries into Trump’s company books. The “hush money” payments were made by Trump’s lawyer, who was then reimbursed. The reimbursement was put through the books as legal expenses – aka “falsifying business records”.
Pic: Reuters
F is for four years. It’s how long Trump could face in state prison for each of the 34 counts he’s charged with, to a maximum of 20 years. A prison sentence is thought unlikely, however, for a non-violent first-time criminal offender.
G is for gag order. The judge has ordered Trump not to make, or direct others to make, public statements about witnesses or other participants in the case. The district attorney argues Trump has breached the order and wants a $1,000 fine imposed.
H is for Hope Hicks. Trump’s press secretary during the 2016 campaign, and one of his most trusted confidantes, is expected to testify. Her “in the room” evidence could take us to the heart of the Trump operation as it fought to suppress scandal.
I is for interference, as in election interference. Prosecutors say the falsification of business records was carried out for the purpose of influencing the 2016 election.
Pic: Curtis Means/Pool via Reuters
J is for jury. Seven men and five women have been selected for duty. Six others will sit through the trial as alternates, or replacements, if needed. Jury members have been subject to a rigorous assessment of their ability to be impartial, including questions on their political affiliations, news sources and views on Trump himself.
K is for Karen McDougal. She is the other woman involved in the hush money payments scheme. The former Playboy model claims to have had an affair that started in 2006 and that she and Trump had sex “many dozens of times”. Her silence was allegedly bought for $150,000.
L is for liar. It’s the description used by Trump of the witness at the centre of the prosecution (see M). Michael Cohen admitted lying to Congress in 2017 about a Trump project in Russia. His admission is highlighted by Trump in an effort to discredit him.
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Trump has called Michael Cohen a ‘proven liar’
M is for Michael Cohen, the “star” witness. He was Trump’s personal lawyer and fixer who made the hush money payments. In 2018, he was jailed for his part in the scheme and given a three-year sentence for campaign finance violations. He was also convicted of lying to Congress among other crimes. Cohen once said he’d “take a bullet” for Trump but now calls him a “cheat”, a “bully” and a “conman”. Trump calls Cohen a “rat” and a “proven liar”.
N is for a New York jurisdiction. Trump, originally from Queen’s in New York, is being tried on home turf. However, the jury pool, from which its members were selected, doesn’t sit well with his politics. New York is Democrat territory and that concerns the defence team of a Republican presidential candidate. It has tried, but failed, to have the trial moved elsewhere.
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Trump in New York: ‘I love this city’
O is for other cases. Trump’s three other criminal prosecutions are snagged in delay and legal argument. On Thursday, the Supreme Court will hear arguments on his right, or otherwise, to immunity from prosecution in relation to the 6 January Capitol riots. Its decision, and the speed with which it’s made, will dictate whether that case is heard before the November election. The other two – on mishandling classified documents and Georgia election interference – look less likely to proceed in that timeframe.
P is for Pecker, as in David Pecker. The owner of AMI publishing could be a key witness. In a “non-prosecution” agreement, AMI has admitted to making hush-money payments. Pecker, a long-time Trump ally, agreed to identify negative stories about Trump so they could be bought and their publication avoided.
The key figures in the Donald Trump hush money case
Q is for questions about politics in the administration of US justice. In most American states, District Attorneys (prosecutors) are elected and Donald Trump points to the Democratic leanings of Alvin Bragg. In a news release the day before opening statements, the Trump team wrote that “his lawfare efforts against President Trump were the lead focus of his [election] campaign”.
R is for removal from the presidential campaign trail – a Trump complaint. He told the media at court: “I’m supposed to be in New Hampshire, I’m supposed to be in Georgia, I’m supposed to be in North Carolina, South Carolina. I’m supposed to be in a lot of different places campaigning, but I’ve been here all day on a trial that really is a very unfair trial.”
Pic: AP
S is for the sex scandal that hung over Team Trump in the midst of the 2016 hush money payment and, arguably, drove the scheme. In a so-called “Access Hollywood” tape that was made public, Trump was heard to say about women: “I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything, grab them by the [genitals]. You can do anything.” It was three weeks later that the money was paid to Stormy Daniels.
T is for testimony. Trump insists he will testify during the trial. If so, prosecutors have asked the judge if they can raise his previous brushes with the law, for example, a civil court’s finding of sexual assault, to cast doubt on his credibility.
U is for unanimous. Members of the jury must deliver a unanimous verdict to convict Trump. He only needs one to dissent.
V is for the vote, as in the impact a conviction will have on Trump at the polls. While this, and other prosecutions, have cemented support for Trump among his MAGA base (Make America Great Again) and have fuelled fundraising, that isn’t necessarily the case with voters generally. A recent Politico/IPSOS survey showed that more than a third of independent voters said a guilty verdict would make them less likely to support Trump’s candidacy – potentially significant, in a tight race.
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Pic: Reuters
W is for “witch hunt”. Trump repeatedly criticises this prosecution, and others, as a “political witch hunt”. He views it as an effort to undermine his presidential election campaign and has branded it a “scam” and “an assault on America”.
X is for the cross that potential jurors were asked to put against groups they might have been members of: the QAnon movement, Proud Boys, Oathkeepers, Three Percenters, Boogaloo Boys and Antifa.
Y is for yellow. It’s how a juror described Trump, having seen him in court. She told MSNBC: “He looked less orange, definitely, like more yellowish, like yellow.”
Z is for zzzz… During jury selection, some observers said Trump fell asleep in court, more than once. New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman noted: “Mr Trump appeared to nod off a few times, his mouth going slack and his head dropping onto his chest.” Trump’s aides denied the suggestion.
The US federal government’s longest-ever shutdown has come to an end after Donald Trump signed off a congressional vote with his presidential approval.
But the president was in no mood to field questions from the media after hailing the long-awaited funding bill, which he signed just hours after thousands of files related to Jeffrey Epstein – in which he was referenced – were released.
As it happened: Trump ends shutdown after Epstein files released
Mr Trump has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to the deceased billionaire paedophile, and said in a Truth Social post after their release that the “Jeffrey Epstein hoax” is a “trap” set by Democrats.
His appearance in the Oval Office came after the House of Representatives voted to reopen the government, after the Senate – the upper chamber of Congress – reached a deal on Monday.
The breakthrough came when a handful of Democrat senators rebuffed their party’s leadership – who’d spent weeks pushing for guarantees on healthcare subsidies – and teamed up with Republicans.
The deal then went to the president, who signed it into law.
“It’s a great day,” he declared, as he blamed Democrats for the 43-day shutdown that left federal workers without pay, food aid undelivered, air travel disrupted, and museums closed.
But the big media moment from behind the historic White House Resolute desk was short and sweet – with Mr Trump, unusually, taking no questions from journalists.
The bill will see the federal government funded until 30 January. Pic: AP
What’s in the latest Epstein files?
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee initially published several emails which they said “raises questions about Trump and Epstein’s relationship, Trump’s knowledge of Epstein’s crimes” and the president’s relationship to Epstein’s victims.
White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said the “selectively leaked emails” were an attempt to “create a fake narrative to smear President Trump”. He has consistently denied any involvement or knowledge about Epstein’s sex trafficking operation.
It prompted Republicans to retaliate by releasing more than 20,000 pages from Epstein’s files and accusing Democrats of “cherry-picking” their documents.
Read more: What Epstein emails say about Trump
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The Epstein files: The main things you need to know
Epstein took his own life in prison in 2019 following a conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor, for which he was registered as a sex offender. He was awaiting a trial for sex trafficking charges.
In his Truth Social post, Mr Trump said the release of the latest files were a “deflection” from the shutdown.
The shutdown, which started on 1 October, has disrupted the lives of millions of Americans as all non-essential parts of government have been frozen.
It was the first shutdown in almost seven years.
As he put pen to paper, the president accused the Democrats of an “extortion” attempt over their push for healthcare subsidies – provided under the Affordable Care Act brought in by Barack Obama – to be extended.
“Republicans never wanted a shutdown,” he said.
“It’s cost the country $1.5trn,” he added.
Thousands of documents from disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein have been released, which reference Donald Trump, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Peter Mandelson among others.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee initially published several emails which they said “raises questions about Trump and Epstein’s relationship, Trump’s knowledge of Epstein’s crimes” and the president’s relationship to Epstein’s victims.
White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said the “selectively leaked emails” were an attempt to “create a fake narrative to smear President Trump”. He has consistently denied any involvement or knowledge about Epstein’s sex trafficking operation.
Trump latest: 20,000 pages published in response to ‘leak’
Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein in 1992. Pic: NBC
It prompted Republicans to retaliate by releasing more than 20,000 pages from Epstein’s files and accusing Democrats of “cherry-picking” their documents.
Here’s what the emails say…
:: Epstein discusses Trump
Three messages, dated between 2011 and 2019, are between Jeffrey Epstein and his sex trafficking co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell and between Epstein and author Michael Wolff.
In the first exchange of emails, between Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, dated 2 April 2011, Epstein wrote:
i want you to realize that that dog that hasn’t barked is trump.. Virginia spent hours at my house with him ,, he has never once been mentioned. police chief. etc. im 75% there
Maxwell responded:
I have been thinking about that…
The name Virginia, refers to Virginia Giuffre, a prominent Epstein survivor who died in April and had never accused Mr Trump of wrongdoing.
Ms Giuffre made allegations of three sexual encounters with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his prince title, in her autobiography which was released last month – allegations Andrew has denied.
In the second exchange of emails, between Epstein and Michael Wolff, a journalist who has written several books about the Trump administration, dated 31 January 2019, Epstein wrote:
[REDACTED NAME] worked at mara lago. . she was the one that accused prince andrew. . trump said me to resign, never a member ever.. of course he knew about the girls as he asked ghislaine to stop
The third email exchange, between Epstein and Wolff, dated between 15 and 16 December 2015 shows that Wolff wrote:
I hear CNN planning to ask Trump tonight about his relationship with you–either on air or in scrum afterwards.
Epstein replied:
if we were able to craft an answer for him, what do you think it should be?
Wolff responded:
I think you should let him hang himself. If he says he hasn’t been on the plane or the house, then that gives you a valuable PR and political currency. You can hang him in a way that potentially generates a positive benefit for you, or, if it really looks like he could win, you could save him, generating a debt. Of course, it is possible that, when asked, he’ll say Jeffrey is a great guy and has gotten a raw deal and is a victim of political correctness, which is to be outlawed in a Trump regime.
Responding to the release of emails, Mr Wolff posted a video on Instagram: “I have been trying to talk about this story for a very long time now and perhaps we’re getting close to the smoking gun.
“These two men… had the closest of relationships for more than a decade.”
:: Andrew included in Epstein emails
In several email exchanges, Epstein refers to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and a picture of him with victim Virginia Giuffre.
A photo emerged in 2011 of Andrew, which has become infamous, showing the former prince with his arm around Virginia Giuffre, apparently taken in Ghislaine Maxwell’s London home.
The former duke, who was recently stripped of his titles, has previously said he didn’t recall meeting Ms Giuffre and claimed an image of the pair could have been doctored.
Although the name of the “girl” is redacted, Epstein appears in his email exchange to be referring to Ms Giuffre, who at the time had spoken to The Mail on Sunday, which had published the photo.
The now infamous photo that appears to show Andrew and Virginia Giuffre. Pic: Rex/Shutterstock
In an email from Epstein to a reporter on 1 July 2011, he said:
The girl has fled the country with an outstanding arrest warrant. The da (sic) after she accused others, said in writing that she has no credibility, she was never 15 years old working for me, her story made it seem like she first worked for trump at that age and was met by ghislaine maxwell.
Total horseshit, the daily mail paid her money, they admitted it, with the statement that it took money to coax out the truth.
Yes she was on my plane, and yes she had her picture taken with Andrew, as many of my employees have.
In a separate email to a publicist on 1 July 2011, Epstein writes:
The girl who accused Prince Andrew can also easily be proven to be a liar.
I think Buckingham Palace would love it. You should task someone to investigate the girl Virginia Roberts, that has caused the Queen’s son all this agro (sic).
I promise you she is a fraud. You and I will be able to go to ascot (sic) for the rest of our lives.
:: Mandelson and Epstein talk Trump
According to the documents, Peter Mandelson, who was sacked as the UK ambassador to the US in September, was continuing his connections with Epstein in 2016.
Sir Keir Starmer dismissed him after learning about emails between him and Epstein from 2005 to 2010 – including after Epstein’s conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Andrew and Peter Mandelson at a reception in 10 Downing Street in 2009
In an exchange between Epstein and Peter Mandelson on 6 November 2016, Epstein wrote:
63 years old. . you made it
Responding to the message referring to his birthday several days before, Mr Mandelson replied:
Just. I have decided to extend my life by spending more of it in the US.
On the same day, and just before the 2016 US presidential election, Epstein then replies:
in the donald white house
Epstein goes on to refer to Andrew and Mr Mandelson’s partner, now husband, Reinaldo Avila da Silva:
trump/ and having agreat [sic] deal of fun. In hindsight. you were right about staying away from andrew. I was right in your staying with rinaldo [sic]
According to the documents, Mandelson responds:
Of course, donald in WH. Will he get there? Yes, without Andrew it would not have gone nuclear. Did you advise me to stay with R ? Such a handful but loyal and never embarrassing.
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Exclusive: Mandelson challenged on Epstein links
In a separate email from 7 March 2011, Epstein received an interview request from the BBC via his lawyer:
We are keen to explore the possibility of conducting an interview with Mr Epstein, on the subject of the stories which are circulating, however inaccurately, about both him and Prince Andrew, the Duke of York; we’d be keen to hear from Mr Epstein first hand so that the various and at times, speculative reporting which is at large in the UK press can be better
scrutinised?”.
The message was forwarded to Mr Mandelson, who replied, bluntly:
No!!
In May this year, Mr Mandelson was asked by Sky News about his relationship with Epstein: “I’m not answering any questions about him. My knowledge of him is something I regret, I wish I’d never met him in the first place.”
Read more from Sky News:
Key claims by Virginia Giuffre in memoir
Ghislaine Maxwell appeals to Trump
US Congress summons Andrew
Sky News’ US news partner NBC News has reached out to lawyers for Michael Wolff, Maxwell and the family of Virginia Giuffre for comment.
The top Democrat on the House committee, Robert Garcia of California, said in a statement that the released emails “raise glaring questions about what else the White House is hiding and the nature of the relationship between Epstein and the President”.
The Oversight Committee Democrats say the emails strike “a blow against the White House’s Epstein cover-up”.
But White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt said in a statement: “The Democrats selectively leaked emails to the liberal media to create a fake narrative to smear President Trump.
“The ‘unnamed victim’ referenced in these emails is the late Virginia Giuffre, who repeatedly said President Trump was not involved in any wrongdoing whatsoever and ‘couldn’t have been friendlier’ to her in their limited interactions.”
The newly released files have dragged Donald Trump’s name back into one of the darkest scandals of modern American life.
Emails from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein, released by a congressional committee, don’t allege any criminal activity by the president.
But the Democrats say they raise fresh questions about what he knew about the paedophile and when he knew it.
The key detail comes from two Epstein emails, one sent to his girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, another to author Michael Wolff.
In 2011, he wrote to Maxwell: “I want you to realize that the dog that hasn’t barked is Trump. VICTIM spent hours at my house with him… he has never once been mentioned. police chief etc. I’m 75% there.”
Trump latest: 20,000 pages published in response to ‘leak’
Undated picture of Ghislaine Maxwell with Jeffrey Epstein. File pic: US Department of Justice
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Democrats had redacted the name because the victim in question was Virginia Guiffre, who never accused the president of wrongdoing.
In a 2019 exchange with Wolff, Epstein wrote: “trump said he asked me to resign, never a member ever. of course he knew about the girls as he asked ghislaine to stop”.
Those words are ambiguous and we don’t know the context in which they were written but earlier this year, Trump said he had fallen out with Jeffrey Epstein after he “stole” young women who worked at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida and it could be a reference to that dispute.
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Karoline Leavitt defends Trump
For years, Trump promised to declassify all Epstein-related files – a pledge positioning him as a truth-teller exposing elite corruption.
Now that others are releasing those materials first, the image that helped return him to the White House takes a hit.
Instead of leading the charge, he’s reacting to it, and among his base, there are many who remain convinced of an Epstein-related cover-up.
Legally, there is nothing new here pointing to liability, but reputationally, this is dangerous terrain for the president.
Read more:
What do Epstein documents say about Trump, Andrew and Mandelson?
Andrew did have photo taken with Virginia Giuffre, Epstein said
Author Michael Wolff. Pic: AP
The mention of a “victim” spending hours with him at Epstein’s home, without clear context, invites headlines and speculation that could linger for months.
But he has weathered much worse – his survival often relies on turning scandal into proof of persecution.
That explains why the White House is doubling down on its claim that Democrats are releasing selective documents to the “liberal media” to smear Donald Trump.
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