Cohen testifies as the finish line approaches

It is becoming increasingly clear that the end is near in former President Donald Trump’s secret trial in Manhattan.

With the defense nearly finished questioning Michael Cohen — Trump’s former lawyer and mediator and a key witness for the prosecution — closing arguments will likely begin early next week.

At the end of the 18th day of Trump’s criminal trial in New York on Thursday afternoon, Judge Juan Merchan charted the path forward in the historic and heavily scrutinized trial.

“I’m doing everything I can to avoid major outages,” Merchan said, with Memorial Day weekend approaching.

The court is not in session on Friday and there will be no proceedings next Wednesday.

Defining the remaining schedule was just one of the big notes hit on Thursday. Here’s what you missed:

Telephone fireworks

The most moving moment came when Blanche became animated discussing a 2016 phone call during her interrogation of Cohen – much of which was devoted to painting Cohen as a dishonest and untrustworthy witness who could not be counted on to accurately detail his relations with Trump from almost a decade ago.

The heated courtroom exchange occurred as Blanche repeatedly pressed Cohen about a phone call he said he had with Trump on Oct. 24, 2016, about the hush-hush $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels that Cohen facilitated. Daniels has alleged that he had an affair in 2006 with Trump – which he denies.

Cohen testified that he contacted Trump through Keith Schiller, Trump’s bodyguard, to “discuss the Stormy Daniels matter and its resolution.”

Blanche noted the short duration of the call, about 90 seconds, as Cohen texted Schiller about a teenager he said had pranked him — which Blanche insisted was the true subject of the call.

Raising her voice, Blanche criticized Cohen’s account of the conversation with Trump that night, calling it “a lie!”

Cohen said he “believed he was telling the truth, based on the records and documents” he reviewed.

“We are not asking for your belief,” Blanche replied. “This jury doesn’t want to hear what you think happened.”

Blanche also grilled Cohen about the circumstances of his 2018 guilty plea to a series of federal charges related to Daniels’ bounty and suggested that Cohen try to shift the blame to others for his problems.

“You agree with me that when you plead guilty to a crime and you are lying, that is not accepting responsibility, is it?” Blanche asked.

“I accepted responsibility and I am suffering the consequences,” Cohen said.

Trump allies pack court

After days in which Trump’s potential running mates and even the Speaker of the House attended the trial, Thursday appeared to be the day for much of the far-right House Freedom Caucus to show up and show their support for Trump.

Among those in attendance were Reps. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.; Lauren Boebert, R-Colo.; Andy Biggs, Republican of Arizona; and Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla.

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., who previously supported former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley for president, was also there. So did Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., and Virginia state Sen. John McGuire — Good’s primary opponent.

Meanwhile, Jeffrey Clark, a former Justice Department official who is one of Trump’s co-defendants in the Georgia election interference case, was seen in the packed courtroom, sitting near reporters. Both Clark and Trump have pleaded not guilty in that case.

The end of the trial approaches

The judge sought clarity from both the defense and prosecution about how much time they might need with witness statements before moving to closing arguments. He indicated he wanted to avoid any prolonged break between closing arguments and jury deliberations, noting that there are several days on the horizon when the court will be out of session.

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche said he would likely finish cross-examining Cohen by mid-morning Monday, adding that the defense would soon notify the judge of any witness plans.

Blanche previously said that she may call an expert if she deems it necessary. Court documents show that former Federal Election Commission Chairman Bradley A. Smith is the defense’s filed expert witness. Smith could talk about federal election laws related to the case.

“We anticipate reaching a decision, at least regarding any other witnesses, very soon, today,” Blanche said, adding that any additional witnesses would not testify for a long time.

One issue that Blanche promised to clarify soon: whether her client will testify. Trump said before the trial that he would “absolutely” testify but has since changed his tone, saying he would do so only if necessary.

“[T]That’s another decision we need to make, Blanche said.

With that, the judge told lawyers on both sides to prepare to begin closing arguments on Tuesday.