Trump trial live updates: Defense calls Michael Cohen ‘MVP of liars’ in hush money closing argument

Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial has entered its final stages as the defense concluded its closing argument by listing 10 reasons the jury should have reasonable doubts about the case against the former president.

Lead Trump lawyer Todd Blanche hammered the credibility of former fixer to the defendant Michael Cohen, labeling him the “MVP of liars” and “GLOAT” — Greatest Liar Of All Time.

Mr Trump stands accused by Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg of falsifying business records in order to conceal a $130,000 payment made to the adult film actress Stormy Daniels in October 2016 to ensure her silence about a sexual encounter she alleges she had with the politician a decade earlier. The former president denies both the affair and the 34 charges.

After five weeks of often explosive testimony, the prosecution hopes to convince the jury of 12 Manhattanites that the misdemeanour offenses with which the defendant has been charged should be elevated to felonies because they were carried out to subvert a presidential election.

Prosecutors are now delivering their summation. The jury could begin its deliberations as soon as Wednesday.

Alex Woodward is covering the trial for The Independent live from court.

Cohen’s testimony is not about “whether you like Cohen or want to go into business with Cohen but if he has useful reliable information about what went down in this case,” says Steinglass.

“The truth is he was in the best position to know.”

He was the defendant’s “right hand” who could know about the “conspiracy to influence the election and the creation of false business records to hide that conspiracy.”

His significance is that he provides “context and color” to the documents at the heart of the case, acting as