During the trial, Trump attorney Todd Blanche made a statement suggesting that the prosecution could have called Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump to testify if they believed the brothers were involved in the alleged conspiracy to reimburse Michael Cohen. Blanche presented evidence to the jury in the form of two checks signed by former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg and either Eric Trump or Donald Trump Jr.
Blanche emphasized that both checks were approved by Eric and Donald Jr., with no involvement from President Trump. He argued that there was no evidence linking President Trump to the checks. The check stubs indicated that the payments were for a 'retainer,' a description automatically generated by the system based on input from former Trump accountant Deborah Tarasoff, according to Blanche.
The defense's strategy appears to be focused on distancing President Trump from any direct involvement in the financial transactions under scrutiny. By highlighting the roles of Eric and Donald Jr. in approving the checks, Blanche aims to shift the focus away from the President.
It remains to be seen how the prosecution will respond to these arguments and whether they will choose to call the Trump brothers to testify. The trial continues to unfold with each side presenting its case and attempting to sway the jury with compelling evidence and arguments.
