Prosecution, defense deliver opening statements in Trump hush money trial in Manhattan

The prosecution and defense delivered opening statements in the trial of former President Trump, who was charged by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg with falsifying business records.

Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo laid out the theory of the case, that the President sought to hide potentially damaging information in a conspiracy to influence the 2016 election.

Trump and his associates "formed a conspiracy at [a] meeting to influence the presidential election by concealing negative information about Mr. Trump in order to help him get elected," the prosecutor said, according to CNN. 

Former National Enquirer publisher, will testify as the first witness. Prosecutors say Pecker was a key player in the alleged scheme by Trump and his associates to conceal allegations of affairs brought by Stormy Daniels and other women during the 2016 Republican primary and presidential campaign. Prosecutors say the payments to Daniels were for the purpose of influencing the election.

The prosecution's arguments center on a $130,000 payment from Trump to his former lawyer Michael Cohen who allegedly paid Daniels for her story from his own funds, CNN reports. The prosecution alleges the payment was to disguise a reimbursement to Cohen. 

President Trump's attorney, Todd Blanche, began the defense statement saying, "President Trump is innocent. President Trump did not commit any crimes.”

Despite the "clean, nice story" the prosecutors presented in their opening, Blanche says "it is not simple, as the people just described." He says he believes the jury will find "plenty of reasonable doubt."

The opening statements from the prosecution and defense are expected to last a little over an hour, CNN reported. The session is scheduled to end at 12:30pm. 

Former National Enquirer publisher, is expected to testify as the first witness. Prosecutors say Pecker was a key player in the alleged scheme by Trump and his associates to conceal allegations of affairs brought by Stormy Daniels and other women during the 2016 Republican primary and presidential campaign. The prosecutors say the payments to Daniels were for the purpose of influencing the election. 

In a post to Truth Social before the session began, Trump called on his supporters to protest peacefully and criticized the inability of his supporters to gather "at the front steps of Courthouses." 

"GO OUT AND PEACEFULLY PROTEST. RALLY BEHIND MAGA. SAVE OUR COUNTRY! 'THE ONLY THING YOU HAVE TO FEAR IS FEAR ITSELF'," the post reads.