Trump trial live updates: Countdown to hush money trial verdict begins as court returns for closing arguments

They searched his books for examples of how he micromanaged the Trump Organization, how he was motivated by revenge, and how he saw sexual potential in encounters with women.

In doing so, they attempted to show the jury that he controlled every penny that went in and out of his business, bolstering his case that he must have known that money payments to Stormy Daniels were being hidden as legal expenses.

Trump denied 34 counts of falsifying business records.

And his defense team tried to show that he was a busy executive who left handling invoices, general ledger entries and cutting checks to lower-level managers.

donald trump will return to court for the first time in a week for closing arguments in the historic hush money trial.

The former president’s lawyers and the prosecution will make their final arguments before the 12 members of the jury who will decide his fate.

The panel of Manhattan residents has heard from 22 witnesses over five weeks of testimony in the case that is quickly coming to a close.

Here’s what you can expect when attorneys for both sides present their case to the jury:

He writes in Truth Social:

…and then of course there is the BIGGEST EVENT OF THEM ALL, but I am not allowed to talk about it because I am under an illegal and unconstitutional GAG ORDER. This is the Biden White House in action. ELECTORAL INTERFERENCE!

On Monday night, Trump wrote on Truth Social:

WHY IS THE CORRUPT GOVERNMENT ALLOWED TO MAKE THE FINAL ARGUMENT IN THE CASE AGAINST ME? WHY CAN’T THE DEFENSE LAST? GREAT ADVANTAGE, VERY UNFAIR. WITCH HUNT! DJT

Once the final arguments are concluded, Judge Juan Merchán will give instructions to the jury and will prepare to deliberate.

They will review each of the 34 counts of falsifying business records and decide whether Trump is guilty or not.

To reach a verdict on each charge, the jury must be unanimous.

Members have been outside the courtroom for a week reflecting on the past five weeks’ evidence presented by 22 witnesses.

They are anonymous, but some details were revealed in court – here’s what we know about them.

As Donald Trump’s trial over money payments to a porn star nears its final stages, Trump’s wife, Melania Trump, has been noticeably absent from the courtroom.

Over the course of five weeks, a series of Trump supporters, including Republican lawmakers, former administration officials, vice presidential hopefuls and some of his own children, have appeared in court.

Hours of salacious testimony have passed as the former president stands trial on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment from porn star Stormy Daniels.

Melania Trump, however, has stayed away from the New York criminal courtroom at her home in Florida.

Legal experts told DailyMail.com what it could mean