Trump lawyer tells jury Cohen is ‘greatest liar of all time’

Donald Trump’s lawyers spent closing arguments in his historic hush-money trial attacking the credibility of prosecutors’ star witness, calling him the “greatest liar of all time”.

In his final pitch to jurors on Tuesday before deliberations, Mr Trump’s lead lawyer Todd Blanche said Mr Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen – a convicted felon – was not to be trusted.

“He’s literally like an MVP of liars,” Mr Blanche told the court. “He lies constantly.”

Cohen alleges Mr Trump directed him to make a hush-money payment to an adult-film star in exchange for her silence before the 2016 election.

Prosecutors claim Mr Trump falsified business records on 34 counts when he reimbursed Cohen, claiming he was motivated by an intent to unlawfully influence the 2016 election.

But Mr Blanche argued passionately over several hours that Mr Trump had no intention of falsifying business records or committing election interference.

Mr Trump swiveled in his chair to see Mr Blanche as he spoke, occasionally closing his eyes as his attorney railed against the case.

Prosecutors are at the podium this afternoon, working to convince jurors of Mr Trump’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to secure a conviction.

Prosecutors allege that the falsified records were connected to repaying Cohen for a hush-money payment to adult-film star Stormy Daniels. Ms Daniels says she had sex with the former president while he was married and she planned to sell the story, making it public.

Prosecutors spent five weeks laying out a case against Mr Trump, calling a host of star witnesses to corroborate dozens of documents and recordings surrounding a hush-money payment and reimbursement.

Mr Trump’s lawyers countered with a quick defence, calling on Trump ally Robert Costello to try to attack Cohen’s credibility.

The pressure is now on both sides as they make a final argument to a panel of 12 New York jurors, who must weigh then agree unanimously on Mr Trump’s legal fate.

Some experts said it will be no easy feat to persuade jurors of their broader theory: that Mr Trump falsified business records with the intent to cover up another crime, unlawfully influencing the 2016 election.

“Essentially they have to connect these payments to a motive that links them to a campaign,” said former New York Supreme Court judge and Manhattan prosecutor Diane Kiesel. “This requires a summation of a lifetime, because you really have to connect these dots.”

Prosecutors are likely to cite testimony from a host of witnesses who have claimed Mr Trump was motivated by his campaign, including Cohen and former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office may elaborate on the crimes they allege Trump was trying to cover up, including specific election and tax laws.

Mr Trump’s lawyers, meanwhile, adopted a line of attack similar to what they used during the trial, chipping away at the credibility of Cohen, a convicted felon, and denying Mr Trump was involved in a larger scheme to influence the election.

Their arguments are expected to take the entire day.