Caitlin Wilson
US reporter

Several of Donald Trump’s closest allies in Congress spoke to reporters outside during that short break we had a moment ago.

They echoed similar lines that defence lawyer Todd Blanche seemed to be making inside the courtroom while cross-examining Michael Cohen, especially knocking his credibility.

There is “literally no branch of government that Michael Cohen has not lied to,” Florida Republican Representative Matt Gaetz said, calling Judge Juan Merchan “corrupt” - a line Trump himself frequently says outside the courtroom.

The other lawmakers stepped up to the microphone one by one, each taking their turn to hit out against Cohen, Trump’s criminal charges, and President Joe Biden.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Michael Cohen says he always sought the title of "personal attorney to the president," but Todd Blanche cites text messages that he claims shows Cohen was looking for a special counsel position.

(The defence has not actually displayed these texts into evidence for the jury to see, yet).

Blanche asks about conversations Cohen had with other people, where he purportedly expressed "frustration" at the lack of a White House job, or asked them to advocate for him.

Cohen counters, saying his texts would show he felt he was unqualified for positions like Attorney General of the United States.

You were disappointed that after all the work you did for Trump for nine-and-a-half-years, nobody, including Trump, offered you a job at the White House? Blanche asks.

Cohen replies that isn't accurate.

Blanche is likely trying to show Cohen felt resentment towards Trump for not getting a White House job.

Image source, Reuters/Jane Rosenberg

We've just received some of the latest court sketches from today's hearing.

Here, Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche is seen cross-examining Michael Cohen while the former president watches.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Todd Blanche is pushing Michael Cohen on how strongly he felt about the chance of working for the Trump Administration.

Cohen earlier testified that he wound up not working as part of the president's staff in Washington when Trump was inaugurated in 2017.

He eventually became a personal attorney to the president.

You really wanted to work in the White House? Blanche asks.

"No sir," Cohen replies.

Blanche tries again, and Cohen gives the same answer.

Blanche confronts him with conversations he had with others, including family members, about possibly working in the White House.

You told your daughter you were disappointed that you weren't chief of staff? Blanche asks.

"That I wasn't considered? Yes," Cohen replies.

Cohen is nonchalant about it. But earlier in the trial, Stormy Daniels' former lawyer Keith Davidson testified that Cohen had called him after Trump's election, and sounded incredibly upset about this topic.

Phil McCausland
Reporting from court

During another sidebar, Michael Cohen looks slightly annoyed and a bit tired.

He just frowned and shook his head repeatedly, as prosecutors and defence lawyers had a discussion with the judge next to him.

Cohen’s being asked about his desire to work in the White House during the Trump administration - which he has recalled as a major disappointment.

Phil McCausland
Reporting from court

Questioning has restarted after the break, and it seems Todd Blanche is continuing his effort to discredit Michael Cohen.

He’s asking questions about Cohen’s criminal history, his time in prison, and his view of his charges.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Michael Cohen re-enters the courtroom with a slow, somewhat stilted gait.

Donald Trump does not look at him as he takes the witness stand, but instead, whispers to his lawyers.

As the jury files past Trump one by one, they stare straight ahead with eyes focused on the jury box.

Phil McCausland
Reporting from court

Listening here in court, Todd Blanche’s cross-examination is beginning to feel as though Michael Cohen is on trial, not Donald Trump.

The defence’s strategy appears hinged on ensuring the jury does not find Cohen trustworthy, rather than rebutting Trump’s criminal charges directly.

The ongoing questioning about Cohen’s past lies and his statements disputing his guilty plea - which would seem to conflict with his claims of taking responsibility for his past misdeeds - are solely focused on indicting Cohen’s character.

Blanche has not yet touched on why we are here: The 34 charges of falsifying business records that the former president Trump faces.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

The jurors have said that they cannot work next Wednesday, Justice Merchan announces, so we will have that day off as usual.

The judge had suggested that court may need to sit on Wednesday because next week will be shorter, because of the US public holiday of Memorial Day.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

The judge is back at the bench, and prosecutors are asking him to give the jury instructions or clarifications about when Donald Tump's indictment was unsealed.

They argue that Todd Blanche's questions could have been misleading, though Blanche argues that was not the case.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Trump has returned to the courtroom along with his lawyers.

The Republican politicians who were in court aren't back yet, though they are expected to speak to the press and we will likely see them back here afterwards.

We will have a live stream of that press conference, which you can watch by pressing the play button at the top of this page.

Trump whispers to his lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove at the defence table as we wait for the judge to return.

Motives and lies at the heart of cross-examinationpublished at 16:38 British Summer Time 16 May 2024

16:38 BST 16 May 2024

Nada Tawfik
Reporting from court

This has been a brutal round of questioning.

Todd Blanche is undermining the notion that Michael Cohen is a reformed man interested in justice.

He wants to convince at least one juror that Cohen, instead, always acts solely out of his own self-interest.

Trump’s lawyer has put Cohen on the defence numerous times about his lies.

The witness confirms that he pleaded guilty to crimes that he said he didn’t commit, and lied to a judge in the process, in order to get a plea deal.

He also admitted that his lawyer had explored the possibility of a pardon from then President Donald Trump.

Blanche also asked Cohen, does the outcome of this trial affect you personally? Yes, Michael Cohen agreed.

That may have jurors questioning his motive this time.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Donald Trump leaves the courtroom, and his political allies file out behind him.

At least four appear to have been seated in the back row, because there were not enough seats in the guest benches directly behind the former president.

Justice Merchan announces it's time to take a 15 minute break.

Stick with us, we are about to bring you some more details of what happened just before the break.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Michael Cohen's voice has gotten lower, slower as he submits to Todd Blanche's relentless questions about whether he had lied when he accepted responsibility for the crimes he pleaded guilty to.

“Does the outcome of this trial affect you personally?" Blanche asks.

“Yes,” Cohen says.

Blanche seems for a second like he's about to pivot away from Cohen's past crimes, and there's a crackle of anticipation in the courtroom.

But instead, Blanche talks about Cohen's legal troubles stemming from his ownership of New York City taxi medallions - a saga unrelated to this case.

Phil McCausland
Reporting from court

We are going through a bit of dry testimony about the history of Michael Cohen’s involvement in the New York City taxi industry, which contributed to some of his legal troubles.

But this line of questioning also brought a moment of levity after Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, asks whose names were on the monthly cheques from Cohen’s taxi investments.

“Which one? There were 16 corporations,” says Cohen, who notes that number “is standard in the industry”.

Then Cohen launches into a larger explanation of how the taxi industry works in New York. ”Thank you,” Blanche says when Cohen finishes speaking.

”You’re welcome,” Cohen responds simply - which draws a laugh from those in the overflow room.

Phil McCausland
Reporting from court

Image source, Reuters

Donald Trump does not appear particularly interested in this line of questioning, which at times gets bogged down in the intricacies of Cohen's tax charges.

But defence lawyer Todd Blanche has landed a few punches in his effort to discredit Cohen. He has repeatedly returned to Cohen lying - under oath and in public statements - and even asked him to confirm that “you know what perjury means”.

The former president is usually leaning back, his eyes are closed from time to time and his head occasionally bobs from side to side.

When evidence appears on screen, Trump leans forward and takes a look before leaning back in his chair again.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Todd Blanche has continued to probe Michael Cohen on his guilty pleas, legal issues, and whether he told the truth to past judges while under oath.

Blanche is combing through Cohen's past statements about the pleas, and asks him to clarify them, as a way of portraying him as someone who does not tell the truth under oath.

The jury is being attentive throughout the case, and we can't know what's in their minds, but the panellists I can see look less intently at the parties during this line of questioning than I've seen in the past.

Trump's lawyer tries to turn jury against Cohenpublished at 15:56 British Summer Time 16 May 2024

15:56 BST 16 May 2024

Nada Tawfik
Reporting from New York

Image source, Getty Images

Michael Cohen is owning up to his intense animosity for Donald Trump, which Todd Blanche made the focus of his questioning this morning.

Trump’s defence lawyer is trying to turn the jury against Cohen and trying to convince them that he is a liar who would do anything to put Trump behind bars.

Blanche asked if the oath he took this morning was the same oath he took before he lied in the past.

The implication is clear – how can jurors trust Cohen isn’t lying this time?

On redirect, prosecutors will need to get Cohen to reiterate that the reason he wants Trump in jail is because of his guilt.

They will also want him to repeat what he said earlier that yes, he did lie, but always to protect Trump.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

We are approaching the one-hour mark of Blanche's second day of cross-examination, and Trump's lawyer has yet to turn his focus to the testimony Cohen provided on the actual facts of this case.

Instead he is going over Cohen's previous guilty pleas, past legal woes, and trying to zero in on contradictions in Cohen's own words about his federal charges over the years.