Donald Trump trial: The major players and can he run for president if guilty explained

Here, we look at the Trump trial’s major players and what a conviction could bring after one of the most sensational US trials

All eyes will be on New York tomorrow as Donald Trump becomes the first President ever to face a criminal trial.

In the same dingy courtroom where John Lennon’s killer Mark Chapman admitted murder in 1980, jury selection will begin. If guilty, Trump could be jailed for up to five years, in a case that will shake the foundations of not only US politics but its history, too.

The 77-year-old is in the dock accused of paying hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal. They claim they slept with the millionaire as his wife Melania was at home recovering after giving birth to their son.

The landmark legal battle brought by New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg thrusts the former US leader, one of the most polarising figures in modern history, and his ­tumultuous reign back into the spotlight. In doing so, it raises deep ­questions about presidential accountability, the rule of law, and the legacy of the Trump era. His trial is the culmination of a case that has been hotly contested since it was unveiled last spring.

After months of legal scheming, including three long-shot appeal attempts last week, the level of media scrutiny is similar to the trial of the late OJ Simpson nearly three decades ago. This is no murder trial, but it still has sensational elements. Trump’s fate hangs in the balance as he faces 34 counts of falsifying business records to try to hide a sexual encounter he is alleged to have had with Daniels, who he met in 2006. He denies the charges and having had sex with her.

Here, we look at the Trump trial’s major players and what a conviction could bring after one of the most sensational US trials.

The allegations and what’s at stake

At the heart of the prosecution’s case are allegations that Trump and his associates engaged in a conspiracy to pay hush money to Stormy Daniels in the run-up to the 2016 election against Hillary Clinton. The payment, which was allegedly made on behalf of Trump through a shell company formed by his lawyer Michael Cohen, was designed to suppress damaging information that could have jeopardised his 2016 election campaign and is alleged to have violated campaign finance laws.

The star witnesses for the prosecution

As the trial unfolds, a cast of key witnesses is poised to take the stand. Among crucial testimonies for the prosecution are Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, who are expected to provide highly embarrassing firsthand accounts of their alleged affairs with Trump and the later efforts to cover them up.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, has said she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, a year after he married his wife Melania and more than a decade before he became president. She was paid the $130,000 (£104,000) shortly before the 2016 election, allegedly in return for keeping silent about the encounter. Trump, denying any such relationship, has said the payment was made to stop her “false and extortionist accusations”.

McDougal is an ex-Playboy model and, like Daniels, claimed she had an affair with Trump. She has said they saw each other “a minimum five times a month” from 2006. McDougal described the relationship to CNN as loving and consensual. She said it lasted 10 months. Trump has denied it ever happened. Other expected witnesses are Keith Davidson, the attorney who negotiated the “hush money” on behalf of Daniels and McDougal, and ex-Trump aides Madeleine Westerhout and Hope Hicks. Their evidence will provide insight into Trump’s state of mind and any involvement in a cover-up.

Jury selection and the weight of history

As jury selection, from a pool of some 500 New Yorkers, gets under way, the gravity of the moment is palpable. Trump, the 45th President of the United States, stands as the first commander-in-chief to ever face criminal charges. Trump will be adjudged by 12 jurors, who will each have been asked about their personal lives, knowledge of Trump and political persuasion.

They will have to answer: “Have you ever considered yourself a supporter of or belonged to any of the following: the QAnon movement, Proud Boys (right), Oathkeepers, Three Percenters, Boogaloo Boys, Antifa.” The trial is likely to last six weeks.

Michael Cohen: from insider to informant

In addition to the two women, Trump’s former pit bull attorney, Michael Cohen, is slated to testify, offering insight into his role in facilitating the alleged hush money payments and the extent of Trump’s involvement in the scheme.

Cohen’s cooperation with federal investigators has already yielded damning revelations about Trump’s business dealings and personal conduct, making his testimony a potential game-changer in the trial. Once Trump’s most loyal employee, he was his personal attorney, fixer and confidant, famously proclaiming that he would “take a bullet for the president” and “never walk away.”

But over the first two years of Trump’s administration, as investigators targeted Cohen’s personal finances, he flipped on his former boss. He cooperated in multiple investigations, including special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into allegations of collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. In December 2018, Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison for various crimes, including campaign finance violations, tax evasion and lying to Congress.

Potential consequences for Trump

Trump could face hefty fines, probation and even imprisonment. A guilty verdict would also have profound political ramifications, casting a shadow over Trump’s political ambitions for the rest of his life and reshaping the landscape of American politics for years to come. A conviction could lead to him being handed a five-year prison sentence, rendering it almost impossible for the 77-year-old to serve as President again.

Implications for Presidential Accountability

Perhaps most significantly, the trial has far-reaching implications for presidential accountability and the integrity of the office. Subjecting a former president to criminal prosecution sends a powerful message that no one is above the law, not even those who hold or held the highest office in the land.

It reaffirms the principle that public officials must be held to account for their actions, regardless of their status. The Trump trial represents a pivotal moment in American history – a test of the nation’s commitment to the rule of law, the principles of democracy, and the ideals of justice and accountability. The eyes of the nation will be fixed on the courtroom, watching to see whether the rule of law will prevail.

Inside the tabloid machine

Cohen is not the only insider poised to spill the beans. David Pecker, the former CEO of Enquirer owner American Media Inc, and Dylan Howard, the company’s chief content officer, are expected to testify about their involvement in the hush money scheme. They are also expected to talk about efforts to bury negative stories about Trump in the tabloid press, a scheme known as “catch and kill”. They could show the lengths to which Trump’s allies went to protect him from bad publicity.