Jury asks for testimony on Trump Tower meeting as it considers verdict
With Kayla Epstein, Madeline Halpert and Nada Tawfik reporting from court in New York
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With Kayla Epstein, Madeline Halpert and Nada Tawfik reporting from court in New York
Live Reporting
Edited by Tiffany Wertheimer and Brandon Livesay
All times stated are UK
Thanks for asking so many questions
Brandon Livesay
Reporting from New York
We've been answering reader questions about the Trump trial and there's been some fascinating queries.
A big thanks to our reporters Kayla Epstein and Madeline Halpert for sharing their knowledge while they sit inside a New York courtroom and wait for the jury to come back.
If the jury is still deliberating tomorrow, we will try and answer some more questions.
You can email us at YourQuestions@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any question you send in.
For now, let's check in with some other Trump trial-related things that have been happening today.
Could Trump lose his pension and Secret Service detail?
Brandon Livesay
Reporting from New York
Al Barnes, 83, from Canada asks: If Trump is found guilty of election interference, could he be stripped of all ex-presidential perks including government protection?
The short answer is no, he would still keep his perks if he were found guilty.
As a former US president, Donald Trump gets lifetime Secret Service protection.
Under The Former Presidents Act, Trump is also entitled to a pension and other financial benefits. He would keep these as well.
For the 2024 financial year, Trump received $236,000 for his pension. But his total allowance was budgeted at more than $1m. It included $406,000 for rent, $35,000 for communications, and a range of other costs including printing, supplies and $123,000 earmarked for “other services”.
Brian Kalt, a Michigan State University professor who specialises in constitutional law, told me the Act “defines former presidents as those who used to be president and who weren’t removed via the impeachment process”.
Kalt says there’s no mention about convictions of crimes, and it would require Congress to change that.
What are Trump's alleged crimes?
Madeline Halpert
Reporting from court
Sean Moore, 60, from the US asks: What was the crime?
It’s important to note that Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty in this case and is innocent until proven guilty.
But New York prosecutors have charged him with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
It’s a bit of a complicated case. They allege that Trump falsified records when making a reimbursement to his former fixer for a hush-money payment he made before the 2016 election to keep adult-film star Stormy Daniels quiet about an alleged sexual encounter years earlier.
The reason the case has been elevated to felony charges is because prosecutors allege Trump made false records with an intent to conceal a second crime - violation of tax and election laws.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office says the hush-money payment amounted to a campaign contribution because they say Trump wanted to avoid harm to his presidential bid.
And because his former fixer paid $130,000, that was more than the $2,700 limit that an individual can make to a campaign.
If guilty, how soon after the verdicts are in would Trump be sentenced?
Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court
Bruce Doggo, 60, from the US asks: How soon after the verdicts are in will Trump be sentenced? Does each of the 34 counts carry a separate sentence?
If there is a guilty verdict, the judge would schedule a separate hearing a few weeks later.
Justice Juan Merchan would likely consider the charges together as he decides how to appropriately sentence Trump.
The law would give him a range of options, from a large fine to up to four years in prison.
Why didn’t Trump testify?
Brandon Livesay
Reporting from New York
Myint Khaing, 59, from Georgia asks: Why did Donald Trump not take the witness stand and testify under oath for his own defence?
Just before the trial began, Trump told media he would “absolutely” take the stand.
Then, on the final day of witness testimonies, reporters shouted out in the court hallway - would he still testify? He did not.
Legal experts had long been dubious that he ever would. It’s up to the prosecution to prove their case, not the defendant.
If the former president did take the stand, it would have opened himself up to cross-examination by the prosecutors. They could have asked all kinds of questions that had the potential to damage Trump’s legal case, and also his political campaign.
White collar criminal defence lawyer Seth Waxman told me that defendants in criminal cases - in “normal circumstances” - are not likely to testify.
He says if Trump did take the stand, his history of “alleged lies” and “improper conduct” could open him up to new lines of attack from the prosecution.
“Things that the judge may have properly kept out at the beginning of the trial could suddenly now be triggered and be deemed admissible and fair game,” Waxman said.
What will happen to Trump's political ambitions if he is found guilty?
Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court
Awinoren Clifford Kingsway, 57, from Nigeria asks: If Trump is found guilty and sentenced to prison, what will happen to his presidential ambition and how does the GOP present a new candidate?
Well, we aren’t quite there yet, since the jury just got sent out to deliberate.
But let’s say Donald Trump is found guilty. The judge would at some point decide on a sentence. There is a range that Justice Juan Merchan can consider, including a hefty fine or up to four years in prison. He has some discretion, and there’s no indication yet that he could decide on a prison sentence.
A scenario where Trump is sentenced to a prison term would certainly throw the Republican Party – and American politics in general – into chaos.
However, if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Trump from his eight years at the helm of the Republican Party, it’s that we cannot predict what he will do or how the party will react if he enters the 2024 race with a felony conviction.
The Republican Party, and its voters, have stuck with Trump through scandals that would sink other politicians, including a deadly riot by his supporters at the US Capitol on 6 January, 2021 and his extended effort to overturn the legitimate results of the 2020 presidential election.
We shouldn't be surprised if they stick with Trump as their nominee and party leader in the face of a guilty verdict or prison sentence.
Trump has a way of turning these obstacles to his benefit. He has fundraised aggressively from his multiple legal cases, including this hush money trial, and cast the prosecutions as politically motivated attempts to silence his base.
How much influence could the lawyers in the jury have?
Madeline Halpert
Reporting from court
Kimberley, 43 from the USA asks: Can the lawyers in the jury use their knowledge of the law in deliberations to influence or guide other jurors?
Two of the jurors in this case are lawyers, but they are not criminal prosecutors. One works in corporate law and the other is a civil litigator who told the court that his knowledge of criminal law is limited.
Having lawyers on a jury can be an advantage on the one hand because they can often analyse complicated material.
“At the same time, you don't want them to impose their view of the law or understanding the law, especially if they disagree with the court,” says Jeremy Saland, a former Manhattan prosecutor. “And you don't want the jury looking to them and saying, ‘You're a lawyer. Can you explain this?’ No, that's not their role.”
In other words, the two lawyers on this jury will have to refrain from using their knowledge of the law to try to guide other jurors.
Could Trump go to prison?
Brandon Livesay
Reporting from New York
Martin Clarke, 55, from the UK asks: If found guilty can Trump still be President? Also is there jail time involved if he is found guilty?
It wasn't just Martin who asked this question, we heard it from multiple people. So let's answer this one first.
Donald Trump faces 34 counts of fraud under campaign finance laws, and has pleaded not guilty to all of them.
Each of the Class E felony charges carries a maximum of four years in prison.
But legal experts told the BBC they think it is unlikely Trump will be jailed if convicted in this case, and that a fine would be the more likely outcome if he is found guilty.
That's because Trump, 77, has no prior criminal convictions and this is a non-violent case.
If the jury does unanimously vote to convict him, it will be up to Justice Juan Merchan to decide on the punishment.
And when it comes to the question about Trump’s presidential bid, the answer is yes - he can still be president if he is found guilty.
Americans can vote for a presidential candidate even if they are in jail.
We're answering your questions about Donald Trump's trial
Brandon Livesay
Reporting from New York
Donald Trump’s hush-money trial in New York is historic, so naturally people have a lot of questions.
So we have asked BBC readers what they wanted to know more about in the first criminal trial of a former US President.
And now our team is going to answer your questions.
Working with Tiffany Wertheimer and myself are reporters Kayla Epstein and Madeline Halpert, who have spent every day in court covering this trial.
Juan Merchan, the 'no-nonsense' judge overseeing the trial
Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court
Justice Merchan has served 17 years on the bench, but this is by far the most high-profile case to cross his courtroom.
The New York County Supreme Court judge is known for his reserved nature. He is not a loud man, which can make it a bit difficult to hear him when he makes an important decision in court, but he is no pushover, either.
He threatened Trump with jail time if he kept breaking the gag order, told the defence lawyer that he was “losing all credibility” during one argument, and cleared the courtroom to scold a witness.
Soon after Donald Trump was charged, records emerged showing Justice Merchan had donated a total of $35 to Democrats during the 2020 election. New York state prohibits judges from making contributions to political organisations or candidates, but he did not recuse himself.
The judge's daughter, Loren Merchan, has been at the centre of a bigger conflict-of-interest storm.
She is president of Authentic Campaigns, a firm that has worked on fundraising and advertising for Democratic clients. Attempts to have the judge removed from the case for this reason also failed.
Trump blasted Loren Merchan on social media, calling her a “Rabid Trump Hater”, which caused the gag order to be extended to include the judge's family.
You can read more about the judge here.
Cut through the noise with our US election newsletter
Donald Trump’s hush-money case is only part of the legal and political drama playing out in a very busy election year.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter, where our North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher will set out what you really need to know from the campaign trail, and help you see the bigger global picture.
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Who are the jury?
Sitting, listening intently to every word of this trial, and sometimes taking notes, have been 12 New Yorkers, from all different walks of life.
In the first week of the trial, the judge and lawyers on both sides waded through hundreds of Manhattanites to try and find a group of impartial jurors - no easy task when the person on trial is one of the most polarising politicians in the US.
But they did manage to find the 12 people, and six alternates. To protect their identifies, the judge limited the information that the media can share about the 12.
But we can tell you that it’s five women and seven men. Among them are two lawyers, an investment banker with an MBA; a security engineer from the West Village; and a retired wealth manager.
You can read more about the jury here.
Trump slams 'very disgraceful' case
Caitlin Wilson
US reporter
Donald Trump has come out to speak to reporters outside the courtroom just after the jury left to start their deliberations.
He is repeating his usual accusations that the case is unfounded, saying "the whole thing is rigged".
He's also hitting out at Justice Juan Merchan, calling him a "conflicted" judge.
It's a "very disgraceful" situation, Trump says.
Trump leaves the courtroom
Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court
Donald Trump has left the courtroom, with a fairly neutral expression on his face and a parade of lawyers and aides following him.
Trump will likely wait here in the courthouse along with the rest of us. Justice Merchan will be working in his office.
The media will remain in the courtroom and overflow room.
Why wait here? At any point, we could hear from the jury. They could send a note with a question for the judge.
Or, they could reach a verdict.
First juror question... how to use the court laptop
Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court
Two jurors have volunteered to operate a laptop that the jury will use to consider exhibits.
They briefly returned to the courtroom to get a tutorial from the lawyers.
After a brief moment, they are led back out of the courtroom, clutching the laptop.
And what about the alternate jurors?
Madeline Halpert
Reporting from New York
Don't forget, there are six alternative jurors, in case one of the original 12 have to pull out of the trial.
Justice Merchan has thanked the six for all they have done - but they must remain at court, even though they will not go back with the other jurors.
“You’ve been with us for a long time and you’ve been incredibly diligent,” he says. “Every single one of you is very engaged in this case.”
Justice Merchan notes that alternate number three went through several notebooks over the course of the trial.
But their time is not over yet - they must stay in case they are still needed to replace a juror.
Justice Merchan says he will try to find something to keep them entertained for a potentially long day.
The jury have an enormous task ahead of them now
Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court
One by one, the jury has filed past Donald Trump, not appearing to look at him as they leave the room.
The jury have sat for six weeks and listened to 22 witnesses provide hours of testimony.
They have absorbed dozens of pieces of evidence and listened to nearly 11 hours of closing statements from the prosecution and defence.
Now, they must work together to decide: does all that they have heard and seen merit a guilty or not guilty verdict for former President Donald Trump?
We don't know how long they will deliberate, but this will be one of the most suspenseful waits for a jury verdict in recent memory.
What could the jury decide?
Madeline Halpert
Reporting from court
Now the jury has received their instructions from the judge, they are off to deliberate Donald Trump's fate. Here’s a look at what could happen:
Experts remain divided in their predictions. All agree that juries are unpredictable.
It all comes down to convincing the jury
Madeline Halpert
Reporting from court
Only one juror needs to believe Donald Trump isn't guilty for him to avoid a conviction.
A host of factors could disrupt the prosecution’s case. For one, there is the credibility of Michael Cohen, a key witness in the case who is also a convicted felon.
Prosecutors also need to have convinced the jurors that there are links between Trump’s business records classification and a larger goal of influencing the 2016 election.
Members of a jury are often unpredictable, says Diane Kiesel, a former New York Supreme Court judge and Manhattan prosecutor.
“It only takes one person to decide that the [prosecutors] have not met their burden,” she says. “The [prosecutors] have 12 people to convince.”
Justice Merchan finishes his jury instructions
Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court
The panel listened intently for more than an hour as the judge carefully went over key legal definitions and the burdens the prosecution must meet.
"In a moment you're going to begin the active part of your jury service," Justice Merchan says.
He tells the jurors to let him know if they have any questions by sending a signed note to the judge with their juror number.
Now, he has called the lawyers up to the bench.
Trump sits alone at the defence table, watching them.