Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Eventually, federal election officials came calling about Michael Cohen's payout to Stormy Daniels (whose real name is Stephanie Clifford).

Cohen crafted a response that read: "Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump Campaign was a party to the transaction with Clifford, and neither reimbursed Mr Cohen for the payment directly or indirectly."

Cohen now testifies that statement wasn't false but was "misleading".

It wasn't the Trump Organization or the campaign that paid Cohen back. Instead, it was paid by Trump's trust and personal account - as court documents and Cohen's testimony appear to show.

Cohen says he wrote the "misleading" statement to “protect Mr Trump”, “stay on message", and demonstrate “continued loyalty".

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Image source, EPA

We take another look at the second letter Stormy Daniels signed which denied reports of an alleged affair with Donald Trump and her $130,000 payout.

We saw this earlier when Keith Davidson testified, but now Michael Cohen is walking us through his side of the story.

Cohen testifies that he had pushed for the statement, and that he knew it was false.

How? Hoffinger asks.

Because he was the one who paid her the money, Cohen says.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Image source, Getty Images

The prosecution's Susan Hoffinger is steering right into Cohen's false testimony to Congress.

In the midst of an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, Congress called Cohen to Capitol Hill to testify about a Trump Tower project in Moscow.

Cohen lied to them about how many times he spoke to Donald Trump about that project, alleging he only spoke to Trump three times. In truth, he spoke to his boss 10 times about the Russia deal.

Cohen also did not give the correct time frame for those conversations.

Why did you make false statements? Hoffinger asks.

“Because I was staying on Mr Trump's message," Cohen says.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

In 2018 the Wall Street Journal uncovered the $130,000 payout to Stormy Daniels.

Cohen testifies that he planned to tell the newspaper that he “had paid the money on [Trump's] behalf without his knowledge".

When he told Trump of the plan, he said the former president replied, "That's good. Good".

Cohen was also working with Daniels' lawyer, Keith Davidson, to get a statement of denial from Stormy Daniels.

We now see text messages between the two men, as Cohen attempts to do damage control and keep Daniels silent.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Today I'm in the first row of press behind Donald Trump's team of lawyers and politicians.

North Dakota governor Doug Burgum seems the most engaged in the case itself. He's seated directly behind Trump, and is leaning forward in his seat, following along with the evidence on the public screens and peering around the courtroom.

Eric Trump appeared to glance up when evidence appeared on the screen.

There is also a woman seated in front of me, doing work on her laptop. She appears to be making Trump-branded graphics or a slideshow.

There's a map of Trump beating Biden in the Electoral College, and graphics that declare Trump is outperforming President Joe Biden in various swing states.

House Speaker returns the favourpublished at 15:38 British Summer Time 14 May

15:38 BST 14 May

Anthony Zurcher
BBC North America correspondent

Last week, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson survived a challenge to his congressional leadership position - in large part because continued support from former President Donald Trump limited the size of a conservative revolt in the chamber.

Today, Johnson stood outside the New York City courthouse where Trump is standing trial and returned the favour.

In brief remarks to the press, Johnson called Trump’s hush-money a trial a “sham”, a “disgrace” and “politically motivated".

Echoing lines from the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, he said the proceedings were “election interference” by his political opponents and a plot to keep Trump off the campaign trail.

He even threw in an inflated boast about the size of Trump’s New Jersey rally on Saturday.

Johnson is the most prominent Republican official to show support for Trump in New York this week, and he’s also one with the most political power.

He promised that the Republican-controlled House of Representatives will “continue to shine a light” on what he characterised as misconduct by prosecutors who have targeted Trump.

That’s a promise that is sure to please the former president.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

The prosecutor just asked Michael Cohen whether he ever lied for Donald Trump as his personal counsel.

Cohen says he did.

Why? Susan Hoffinger asks.

“Out of loyalty and in order to protect him,” he replies

We are likely getting up to one of Cohen's liabilities as a witness: the incident where he lied to Congress during a congressional investigation.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Michael Cohen says he did not do much legal work for Donald Trump in 2017, after his boss had entered the White House.

But Cohen testifies that Trump enlisted him for help in 2018 to open a case against Stormy Daniels, who had broken her settlement agreement by sharing her story publicly.

Cohen never billed Trump and was not paid for legal services in 2018, he says.

Cohen testifies that he hoped his title as personal counsel to Trump would help him win other clients, and he did consulting and advisory work on the side.

Nada Tawfik
Reporting from outside court

Outside of court, I caught up with Speaker Mike Johnson who is attending Trump's trial today - along with a slew of other Republican allies.

“What about your critics who are saying you are undermining the criminal justice system? Shouldn’t this be left to the jury?” I asked.

Johnson had a quick reply ready: "This (Trump's trial) is undermining the criminal justice system.”

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

We are going through each of the invoices, cheques, and cheque stubs for every reimbursement payment that was made to Michael Cohen.

While those closely watching the trial may know that we have seen these already, we're looking at them with some very crucial context.

Today, the man who received the payments is confirming that the purported purpose of each document - a payment for legal services - was false.

We see a cheque to Cohen for $35,000 for April 2017.

Does he recognise the signature on the cheque? Susan Hoffinger asks of the spiky scrawl at the bottom of the paper.

Donald J Trump, Cohen replies.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Image source, Getty Images

We are going back over some emails in evidence that we saw earlier in the trial when former Trump Organization controller Jeff McConney testified.

They show McConney asking Michael Cohen to send invoices for his repayments, so that the company could reimburse him. The invoices say they are for "services rendered".

Was that true, prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asks?

"No ma'am," he replies.

Was this invoice a false record? she asks.

"Yes ma'am," he replies.

This is part of the paper trail for Cohen's reimbursements that are at the heart of the case.

Phil McCausland
Reporting from New York

Image source, Getty Images

Before court began, Trump spoke before a group of reporters for about nine minutes in the hallway outside. It was his longest impromptu press conference outside the courtroom thus far.

Surrounded by a pen of metal barricades outside a men's restroom, the former president had a number of political surrogates standing in a line about 10 feet behind him, and another waist-high barricade.

Six court officers who have provided security throughout the trial stood directly in front of Trump's political vanguard, which included: House Speaker Mike Johnson, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, and Florida congressmen Byron Donalds and Cory Mills.

Trump did not respond when a reporter shouted, "Mr Trump, are you directing surrogates to speak on your behalf?"

He also ignored when asked whether he would testify, if he could back up his claim that Justice Merchan was making money from this case, and what could come in Michael Cohen's cross-examination.

Instead, he stuck to the article printouts written by a number of legal commentators who said the case against him was flawed. He held the papers up for reporters to see.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Michael Cohen begins today's testimony by saying he met privately with then-president Donald Trump in the Oval Office in February 2017.

Cohen testifies that the two talked about the reimbursements for the hush money.

Trump asked him if he was OK, Cohen says.

He then elaborates, in response to the prosecution's question, that Trump said a reimbursement cheque for January and February of that year would be forthcoming.

After Trump and Cohen met, Cohen took a photo in the White House briefing room.

A grinning Cohen at the famous lectern pops up on the evidence screens in court.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Image source, Getty

“Let’s get the witness please," Justice Juan Merchan said.

A few moments later, Michael Cohen walks in, wearing a black suit jacket, white shirt, and powder blue tie.

He does not appear to look at the defence table as he walks by.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Image source, Getty Images

Throughout the trial, a parade of US senators and congressmen, top Republican officials, and campaign aides have trailed in behind the former president each morning as a physical show his political strength.

This week is no different.

Today and yesterday, several rumored vice presidential contenders have joined Trump in the courtroom. The VIPs have included Senator JD Vance of Ohio, former Republican presidential candidates Vivek Ramaswamy and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.

Their presence showcases Trump’s use of the courtroom as a de-facto campaign stop, as he is running for president while embroiled in a criminal trial.

On Tuesday, Burgum, Ramaswamy, and Florida congressman Byron Donalds filled the the first row of benches, forming a navy blue-blazered wall behind Trump.

And we also have House Speaker Mike Johnson here today in support of Trump.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Court is now in session.

Before the jury and witnesses are brought in, there is a brief sidebar at the bench. It's unclear what lawyers are arguing before Justice Merchan right now.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Donald Trump has entered the courtroom. Trailing behind him is one of his biggest entourages we've seen yet.

It includes North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, ex presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Congressman Byron Donalds, top GOP official and daughter-in-law Lara Trump, and his son, Eric Trump.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Prosecutors have entered the courtroom and we are now just a few minutes away from the trial resuming.

Assistant district attorneys Joshua Steinglass, Susan Hoffinger, and Matthew Colangelo take their seats at the front of the room.

Brandon Livesay
Reporting from New York

Image source, Getty

The former president has arrived at court and is speaking to the media.

He once again holds a stack of papers. Yesterday he did the same things with a printout of a news article that said he was excelling in some political polls.

Trump, wearing a gold tie and navy suit, is reading quotes from the documents. They appear to contain the writings of various political commentators who support Trump - or those who have criticised this trial.

The former president then says he had a legal expense, so he "marked it down as a legal expense".

Trump says "I don't know what else you call it".

That labelling is at the heart of this case, with prosecutors alleging it covered up the hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.