Trump's Trials

For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Consideredhost Juana Summers speaks with political reporter Ximena Bustillo.

Judge Juan Merchan fined former President Donald Trump $9,000 for violating a gag order that prohibited him from speaking out about potential witnesses and others involved in his hush money trial.

Jurors also heard from four witnesses as testimony continues in the trial.

Topics include:
- The gag order against Trump
- Testimonies of Gary Farro, Robert Browning, Phillip Thompson and Keith Davidson
- What's next when proceedings pick back up on Thursday

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by law professor Kim Wehle.

This was the first week of witness testimony in former President Donald Trump's New York hush money trial. The prosecution used their witnesses to establish Trump's knowledge and involvement in hush money payments for his alleged electoral benefit. Trump's defense team cross-examined witnesses countering that framing with the idea that this is politics as usual.

Meanwhile, at the Supreme Court, justices heard oral arguments over whether Trump is immune from criminal prosecution. Although the justices seemed skeptical of granting Trump absolute immunity, it appeared the majority of the conservatives justices seemed opened to granting some sort of immunity for presidents.

Topics include:
- Week one of testimony in hush money trial
- David Pecker testimony
- Supreme court and immunity

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For this episode of Trump's Trialshost Scott Detrow speaks with NPR'sAndrea Bernsteinabout the latest in the New York hush money trial. Later, election law professor Edward Foley explains the fake elector indictments out of Arizona.

In a New York courtroom, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker took the stand for his third day of testimony. In his testimony Pecker said Trump had intimate knowledge of hush money payments from the very beginning. Pecker was then questioned by Trump's defense team, who tried to poke holes in his story.

In Arizona, 18 people have been indicted for their alleged efforts to overturn the state's 2020 election. They include some of former President Donald Trump's closet allies — former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani. Trump himself was listed as an unindicted co-conspirator. Arizona becomes the fourth state to criminally charge people related to the fake electors scheme.

Topics include:
- Hush money trial testimony
- Cross examination begins
- Fake electors scheme

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Michel Martin speaks to Chief Legal Affairs Correspondent Nina Totenberg, Washington Desk Senior Editor and Correspondent Ron Elving, National Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson and former White House Counsel Neil Eggleston.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over whether former President Donald Trump is immune from criminal prosecution. A majority of the justices appeared skeptical of blanket immunity. But some of the conservative justices hinted at the need for some immunity for certain actions taken while in office. The speed at which the court releases an opinion could determine whether the federal election interference case goes to trial before the November election.

Topics include:
- Justices' questions
- Scope of immunity
- Private vs official acts
- Impact on federal election interference case

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For this episode of Trump's Trialshost Scott Detrow speaks with NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

On Thursday the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on whether former President Donald Trump is immune from criminal prosecution.

Trump is charged with four counts related to alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. But he is claiming since he was president at the time he cannot face prosecution. If the Supreme Court sides with Trump, the federal election interference case is dead. If they side against him, the case moves forward, but the likelihood of it going to trial before the November election is slim.

Topics include:
- Immunity arguments
- Why did the Supreme Court take this case
- Potential trial timeline

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Consideredhost Mary Louise Kelly speaks with political reporter Ximena Bustillo.

David Pecker, former publisher for the National Enquirer, took the stand for a second day of testimony. Pecker explained that starting in 2015 he, Michael Cohen and Donald Trump had a deal that involved the National Enquirerbuying negative stories about Trump and never publishing them – an arrangement also known as 'catch and kill.' Pecker said this was done to help Trump with his 2016 campaign. In addition, he described planting negative stories about Trump's 2016 rivals, such as the Clintons, then presidential candidate Ted Cruz and other Republican front runners.

The prosecution also argued that Trump violated the gag order placed on him at least 11 times in recent weeks. They cited posts on Truth Social and comments Trump made outside the courtroom about potential witness Michael Cohen and the jury. The judge has yet to make a ruling.

Topics include:
- Gag order
- Catch and kill deal
- What's next

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, we hand the mic over to Consider This.

Host Juana Summers speaks with defense lawyer Daniel Horwitz.

As the first criminal trial for a former U.S. president got under way in New York, Donald Trump looked on as prosecution and defense teams presented their opening statements to the jury.

The former president is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, a felony in New York if done to cover up another crime.

The prosecution argued hush money payments made by former Trump fixer Michael Cohen to adult film star Stormy Daniels were to buy her silence about an alleged affair with Trump. And were made at the former president's direction with the intention of influencing the 2016 election.

The defense countered it was not illegal to affect the outcome of an election and that Cohen had handled the specifics of the hush money payments.

Topics include:
- Why the prosecution is arguing election fraud
- The role Michael Cohen's credibility as a witness will play
- What to look out for as the trial continues

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro speaks with NPR political reporter Ximena Bustillo and University of Baltimore law professor Kim Wehle.

The first week of former President Donald Trump's hush money trial is in the books and a jury has now been seated.

Each potential juror had to answer dozens of questions and prove they could remain fair and impartial when weighing the fate of the former president, who watched the selection process from his seat in the courtroom.

Now seated, the jury will hear opening arguments in the trial beginning on Monday.

Topics include:
- What we know and can safely say about the jurors selected
- Safety concerns and security measures for jurors' protection
- Predictions for each side's case in Monday's opening arguments

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Consideredhost Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR political reporter Ximena Bustillo and domestic extremism correspondent Odette Yousef.

Twelve jurors and six alternates have been selected in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial.

The jury is comprised of seven men and five women, all of whom will remain anonymous for security reasons. On Thursday one juror who had been seated for the trial voiced concern that identifying information about her had been in the media. She was dismissed from duty. That brought to light a very real concern — keeping jurors safe and protecting their identities.

Topics include:
- Jury selection process
- Juror privacy
- Security measures

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Consideredhost Mary Louise Kellyspeaks with NPR political reporter Ximena Bustillo.

After just three days of jury selection, 12 New Yorkers have been seated in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial.

Trump is charged with 34 felony counts for allegedly falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

The 12 are made up of seven men and five women, all of whom said they could be fair and impartial to Trump. Judge Juan Merchan hopes to select five alternates on Friday. Opening statements could begin as early as Monday.

Topics include:
- Jury selection process
- Trump in the courtroom

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Consideredhost Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

Today marks the start of former President Donald Trump's first criminal trial. He is charged with 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records. Trump was in the courtroom for the day's events.

The morning was filled with pre-trial rulings by Judge Juan Merchan related to evidence and testimony. In the afternoon, 96 potential jurors entered the courtroom where they were asked a series of questions about subjects like their ability to be fair, their occupation and where they get their news. Some were excused while others advanced into the next round of questioning. Jury selection is expected to take two weeks.

Topics include:
- Trump in the courtroom
- Decisions on evidence and testimony
- Potential jurors questioned

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, we hand the mic over to Consider This.

On Monday, former President Donald Trump will enter a Manhattan courtroom for his first criminal trial. But before a verdict can be rendered a jury must be selected. And for Trump's legal team that is going to be a challenge.

A small number of attorneys have faced a similar challenge — how do you select an impartial jury when your client is famous?

Host Scott Detrow speaks with attorney Camille Vasquez for insight into the art of jury selection in such a case. She represented Johnny Depp in his defamation suit against his ex-wife Amber Heard.

Topics include:
- Jury selection
- Jury questionnaire
- Questioning potential jurors
- What to look for in a juror

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by lawyer and former ambassador Norm Eisen.

On Monday, former President Donald Trump will enter a Manhattan courtroom as a defendant in a criminal trial. This will be the first time in American history a former president has faced criminal prosecution. Trump is charged with 34 counts related to falsifying businesses records. The prosecutor intends to connect alleged hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to interference in the 2016 election.

Topics include:
- Election connection to hush money case
- Jury questionnaire
- Key players

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow is joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson and NYU law professor Melissa Murray.

This week Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed one of former President Donald Trump's motions to dismiss the Florida classified documents case. Trump argued that when he left the White House he designated the highly sensitive documents as "personal" under the Presidential Records Act.

But Cannon has not prevented Trump from using that same argument as part of his defense — something Special Counsel Jack Smith pushed back against in a recent brief.

Topics include:
- Presidential Records Act
- Jury instructions
- Gag order in hush money case
- Civil fraud bond

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Consideredhost Ari Shapiro speaks with Reuters reporter Ned Parker.

On Monday Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the New York hush money case, expanded a gag order to protect his own family. That's after former President Donald Trump repeatedly attacked the judge's daughter on Truth Social. In his ruling Judge Merchan wrote, "the threat is very real."

This follows a recent report out from Reutersthat found threats against federal judges, prosecutors, judicial staff and court buildings has tripled since 2015. Judges in federal Trump-related cases often receive death threats, credible enough to warrant protection from the U.S. Marshals Service.

Topics include:
- Increase in threats
- Connection to Trump
- Judges and U.S. Marshals' response

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow is joined by retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

In Breyer's new book Reading the Constitution: Why I Chose Pragmatism, Not Textualism, Breyer explains why he finds textualism's popularity troublesome.

Textualism is the legal theory that argues the correct way to interpret the Constitution and statutes is to read the text as it was understood at the time the documents were written. Pragmatism, the legal theory Breyer favors, takes current social and political context into consideration when formulating a legal opinion.

In Breyer's view, textualism can weaken the public's faith in the rule of law and poses risks for the health of nation.

However, Breyer was reluctant to comment on cases pending before the court, like former President Donald Trump's claim he is immune from criminal prosecution because of presidential immunity.

Topics include:
- Pragmatism vs. textualism
- Public opinion of the court
- Trump and immunity

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, we hand the mic over to the NPR Politics Podcast

Former President Donald Trump got a brief reprieve in his New York civil case, as the amount he owes to secure a $454 million bond has been temporarily reduced on appeal.

In another New York courtroom the judge overseeing the criminal hush money case set a new trial date — April 15th. The case was originally set to go to trial on March 25th but was delayed due to prosecution and defense receiving new documents from the U.S. attorney's office.

NPR Politics Podcast host and White House correspondent Deepa Shivaramis joined by justice correspondent Carrie Johnson and national political correspondent Mara Liasson.

Topics include:
- Civil fraud judgment lowered
- Impact on Trump campaign
- Next steps

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

An appeals court has cut the bond former President Donald Trump has to post from $454 million to $175 million in his civil fraud trial. The news came the same day as the deadline before the New York Attorney General could start seizing Trump properties to pay off the massive judgement. And in a separate New York court, a judge sharply rebuked Trump's lawyers in his hush money criminal case and set a trial date for April 15.

Topics include:
- How Trump bargained his way to a lower bond
- Trump's response to the criminal case against him going forward
- Next steps

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined law professor Kim Wehle.

On the eve of what should have been the start of the New York hush money trial we dive into the details of the case:

Former President Donald Trump is facing 34 counts related to payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels over an alleged affair she had with Trump. The payments were made in the fall of 2016, just months before the election.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is claiming those payments are a form of election interference, with the theory being by paying off Daniels, Trump prevented information about the alleged affair from reaching voters.

The case has been delayed to give the Trump team time to sort through hundreds of thousands of documents.

Meanwhile, Trump's $454 million civil fraud judement is due in less than 48 hours. His lawyers are claiming they are unable to come up with the bond to pay the judgment. We look into what could happen if Trump does not pay the state of New York.

Topics include:
- New York hush money case
- Southern District of New York documents
- Civil fraud judgement due
- What happens if Trump can't post the money

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

Former President Donald Trump is claiming he cannot secure a bond for roughly half a billion dollars to cover the judgment from his New York civil fraud trial. Lawyers for Trump claim they approached 30 companies and four brokers and none were willing to give Trump the $454 million bond. Trump has until March 25th to file the bond or risk having some of his assets seized.

Topics include:
- Bond deadline
- Possible appeal
- Possible asset seizer

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow is joined by Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson and Georgia politics reporter Sam Gringlas.

Judge Scott McAfee ruled Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis can stay on the Georgia election interference case but only if she removes special prosecutor Nathan Wade. Wade later resigned in a letter to the district attorney.

Willis and Wade had come under fire for having a relationship that Trump and his co-defendants argued was a conflict of interest. Judge McAfee said in his ruling that the defendants did not meet the burden of proving the relationship was a conflict of interest but found "a significant appearance of impropriety" in the prosecution team.

And in New York, the judge overseeing the hush money case officially delayed the start of that trial to mid-April. Jury selection was originally set to begin on March 25.

Topics include:
- Nathan Wade resigns
- What decision means for the case and Willis
- Delay in New York hush money case

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with correspondent Greg Allen.

Judge Aileen Cannon held a pre-trial hearing where Trump's defense team argued two motions to dismiss charges against the former president in the classified documents case. Judge Cannon quickly denied one of the motions but has yet to rule on the other. During the hearing she appeared skeptical of both arguments presented by the Trump team.

Topics include:
- Presidential Records Act
- Espionage Act
- Trump in attendance

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Georgia politics reporter Sam Gringlas.

The judge overseeing the Georgia election interference case has dismissed six criminal counts against former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants.

Three of those counts specifically apply to Trump. They all involve alleged attempts to solicit public officials to violate their oaths of office. An example of that is the telephone call Trump made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Jan. 2, 2021, during which Trump asked the secretary to find him 11,780 votes to overturn the election.

Trump's now facing 10 criminal counts instead of 13. Prosecutors can re-file the dropped charges but it's unclear if they will.

Topics include:
- Possible new indictment
- What comes next for the case

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

Carrie shares new reporting she has on the possible timeline for the federal election interference case. We also discuss Super Tuesday results and if exit polling gives us an indication on how Republican voters are thinking about former President Donald Trump's legal troubles.

Topics include:
- Timeline for federal election interference case
- Supreme Court's Colorado ballot decision
- Super Tuesday
- Update on classified documents case

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, we hear from NPR legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg.

The Supreme Court ruled that former President Donald Trump can remain on the ballot in Colorado and other states. The justices concluded the constitution does not allow states to use the 14th amendment to bar presidential candidates from the ballot.

Topics include:
- Details on the majority opinion
- Split among the Justices
- Possibility of congressional enforcement

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by constitutional expert Kim Wehle.

This week the Supreme Court announced they will consider former President Donald Trump's claim that he is immune from criminal prosecution. That decision has left the federal election interference case in limbo, complicating the chances that the case will go to trial before the November election.

Topics include:
- Timeline for federal election interference case
- Why the Supreme Court is considering Trump's immunity claim
- Justice Clarence Thomas and recusal
- Update on classified documents case

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Alisa Chang speaks with correspondent Greg Allen.

Judge Aileen Cannon held a pre-trial hearing in the Florida classified documents case where former President Donald Trump is facing 40 criminal charges. One of the top issues facing Judge Cannon is confirming the start date, but Friday's hearing ended with no clear answer to when this case might go to trial.

Topics include:
- Political calendar vs legal calendar
- Timeline with other criminal trials
- Trump in attendance

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, we hear from NPR legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg.

There are lots of questions surrounding the Supreme Court's decision to hear arguments over whether former President Trump is immune from criminal prosecution. The court is notoriously secretive; Nina Totenberg tries to read between the lines for an explanation.

Topics include:
- Supreme Court's decision
- Importance of the political calendar
- History of the Supreme Court & the presidency

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg.

The Supreme Court has decided to hear oral arguments over whether former President Trump is immune from federal prosecution. A three-judge panel previously ruled that Trump did not have broad immunity. The justices will hear arguments the week of April 22nd.

Topics include:
- Supreme Court's decision
- January 6th trial timeline
- How this affects the other cases

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and author of three books about Trump David Cay Johnston.

Over the course of four weeks former President Donald Trump was slapped with nearly half a billion dollars in legal penalties. First a jury ordered him to pay writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million. Then a judge ordered him to pay nearly $355 million, plus $100 million in interest, for fraudulent business practices. We look into how Trump could pay these penalties and how he's paying for his lawyers.

Topics include:
- Importance of wealth to Trump's image
- Civil fraud and E. Jean Carroll decisions
- How Trump could pay legal penalties
- How Trump is paying his lawyers

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Miles Parks and Domenico Montanaro are joined by New York University law professor Melissa Murray.

This week we saw developments in all four of the criminal cases facing former President Donald Trump. We also got decision in the New York civil fraud case, where a judge ordered Trump to pay $355 million and banned him from doing business in New York for three years. But we're focusing on two of these cases — the New York hush money case and the Georgia election interference case.

First in New York, a judge ruled the case will go to trial on March 25th; making it the first time in American history a former president will be a defendant in a criminal case.

In Georgia, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis surprised everyone when she took the stand in her own defense. Defendants in the Georgia election interference case are trying to have Willis removed for allegedly financially benefitting from a relationship she had with special prosecutor Nathan Wade.

Topics include:
- Trial date for New York hush money case
- Importance of the hush money case
- What jury selection may look like
- Georgia election interference case
- What happens if Willis is removed

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Juana Summers speaks NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

A New York judge has ordered former President Donald Trump and his companies to pay nearly $355 million in penalties for inflating the value of his properties and other assets. The verdict also banned Trump from operating his New York business and applying for loans in the state for three years. This follows a sometimes contentious three-month trial that was decided by a judge and not a jury.

Topics include:
- Civil fraud verdict
- Money owed
- Possible Trump appeal

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks NPR's Andrea Bernstein and Georgia politics reporter Sam Gringlas.

On March 25th the New York hush money case will go to trial, making it the first time a former president will be defendant in a criminal trial. Former President Donald Trump is facing 34 counts related to falsifying business records during the 2016 campaign in order to keep past affairs a secret. This will be the first of the four criminal cases to go to trial.

In Georgia, an evidence hearing was held over whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should be removed from the election interference case. Willis is accused of having an improper relationship with Nathan Wade, a prosecutor she hired to work on the case. They have acknowledge the relationship but denied Willis financially benefited from it. Willis and Wade both took the stand in defense of themselves.

Topics include:
- Trial schedule for New York hush money case
- Evidence hearing for Georgia election interference case
- Efforts to disqualify Willis
- Willis and Wade testimony

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Juana Summers speaks with senior political correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

Former President Donald Trump is facing a big week in all four of the criminal cases against him.

Two of the biggest developments are set to come out of New York and Georgia. In the New York hush money case, a judge will determine this week if the case will begin as scheduled on March 25th. Meanwhile, in Georgia, a hearing is set this week to determine whether Fulton Country District Attorney Fani Willis should be disqualified from the state's election interference case over allegations she misused public funds. At the same time, the Supreme Court is considering whether to weigh in on a lower court's decision that Trump is not immune from prosecution in the Jan. 6 case. And in the classified documents case, the judge is considering Trump's lawyers' motion to postpone deadlines that could push the case back from its scheduled May 20th start date.

Topics include:
- Immunity appeal
- Florida classified documents case
- Trial schedule for New York hush money case
- Georgia evidence hearing

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by former US attorney and deputy assistant attorney general Harry Litman.

It was a big week in the Trump legal world. There was the decision on presidential immunity, spoiler alert - he doesn't have it. And then there were those Supreme Court oral arguments in the Colorado ballot case, where the justices seemed skeptical of an individual state being able to disqualify Trump from seeking office again. To cap off the week, President Biden was exonerated in a separate classified documents investigation, but the special prosecutor's report questioned the strength of Biden's memory.

Topics include:
- Immunity decision
- Supreme Court oral arguments
- How the immunity and Colorado cases intersect
- Is Biden's document situation similar to Trump's
- Predictions on future decisions and timeline

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Scott Detrow speaks to Chief Legal Affairs Correspondent Nina Totenberg, Washington Desk Senior Editor and Correspondent Ron Elvingand UCLA law professor and election law expert Rick Hasen.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over whether former President Donald Trump is disqualified from running for office on the basis of Section 3 of the 14th amendment. The justices sparred with attorneys from both sides, questioning their justification to remove or keep Trump on the ballot. The justices appeared skeptical of individual states having the power to decide who is able to run for president, at least without congressional action.

Topics include:
- Trump's legal argument
- Colorado's legal argument
- Justice's reactions
- What's next

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Scott Detrow speaks to Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments in the Colorado ballot case. This case centers on whether former President Donald Trump is disqualified from running for office on the basis of Section 3 of the 14th amendment. The once little-known clause bars anyone who swore an oath to support the Constitution and then "engaged in insurrection" against it from holding office. The Colorado Supreme Court determined that Trump had engaged in an insurrection and removed him from the state's primary ballot.

Topics include:
- Origins of the case
- What to look for during the arguments
- Trump's defense arguments

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks to Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

Former President Donald Trump does not enjoy broad immunity from federal prosecution. That was the ruling from a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals D.C. Circuit. The judges also gave Trump six days to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Topics include:
- Details of the D.C. Appeals ruling
- Political and legal calendar
- What's next

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This week on Trump's Trials, guest host Miles Parksand Domenico Montanaro are joined by constitutional expert and lawyer Kim Wehle.

Now that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has admitted to having a relationship with prosecutor Nathan Wade, there continues to be calls for her removal from the Georgia election interference case against former President Donald Trump. Legally she may not be required to step aside. But politically, the relationship complicates the perception of the case in the public eye. We also preview oral arguments taking place on Thursday at the Supreme Court in the Colorado ballot case that could determine whether Trump is eligible to run for office.

Topics include:
- Fani Willis' motion
- What's next in the Georgia election interference case
- Preview of Supreme Court oral arguments
- How section 3 of the 14th Amendment applies

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Mary Louise Kellyspeaks with political reporter Stephen Fowler.

In a court filing on Friday, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis admitted to having a relationship with prosecutor Nathan Wade, but denied any misconduct. Willis hired Wade to prosecute the Georgia election interference case against former President Donald Trump. In the 176-page brief, Willis said allegations that she and Wade financially benefit from prosecuting the case are "meritless" and asked the judge to deny the request to dismiss her and the case without an evidentiary hearing.

Topics include:
- Willis' defense
- Effect on criminal case
- What comes next

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with historians Jill Lepore and David Blight.

Lepore and Blight have submitted a friend of the court brief to the Supreme Court ahead of oral arguments on whether former President Donald Trump should remain on the Colorado ballot.

Colorado's Supreme Court said Trump is not qualified for the presidency under the Constitution's 14th Amendment. Section 3 of that amendment says you can't serve in federal office if you once took an oath to support the United States and then engaged in an insurrection or rebellion.

Both Lepore and Blight argue that Section three of the 14th amendment disqualifies Trump from serving again as president.

Topics include:
- Historical context of the 14th amendment
- Historical intention of section three
- What does it mean to have 'engaged in insurrection'
- Interpreting the Constitution

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow is joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

In this episode we take a step back to look at where the four criminal cases former President Donald Trump is facing currently stand. There's the classified documents case in Florida, the hush money case involving Stormy Daniels in New York, the Georgia election interference case and the Jan. 6th federal election interference case.

Topics include:
- Updates on all of Trump's criminal cases
- Trial date speculation
- What comes next

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks to NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

A jury has awarded writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million in a civil defamation suit against former President Donald Trump. In a previous defamation trial Trump was found to have sexually abused and defamed Carroll. The jury in that case awarded her $5 million.

Topics include:
- How jury came up with $83.3 million figure
- Trump's reaction
- What's next

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Juana Summers speaks to NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

Former President Donald Trump was back in court on Thursday to testify in the second civil defamation damages trial brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. The jury in a separate civil trial last year awarded Carroll $5 million, finding Trump sexually abused and defamed her. Trump spoke briefly on the stand on Thursday, saying the allegations were false.

Topics include:
- Defense resting its case
- Trump's testimony
- Outcome predictions

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks to lawyer and ethics expert Norman Eisen.

We hear why Eisen is calling on special counsel Nathan Wade to resign from his post in the Georgia election interference case. Wade has come under fire for accusations of having an improper relationship with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who hired him to prosecute the case against Trump. Neither Willis nor Wade have made an official statement regarding the accusations.

Topics include:
- Legal requirements to remove a prosecutor
- Ethical issues in the case
- Distractions to the Georgia interference case

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

This week's focus: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has come under scrutiny after a codefendant in Trump's Georgia election case accused her, without evidence, of having an improper relationship with attorney Nathan Wade, whom she hired to prosecute the case. Wade is currently going through a divorce and documents from that proceeding show Wade bought airline tickets for himself and Willis for flights together. Willis has yet to fully address the allegations and the judge in this case has set a hearing on the matter. In the absence of a response from Willis to the allegations, Trump and his allies have seized the moment to discredit her.

Topics include:
- Georgia election interference case
- Allegations of misconduct
- Update on Florida classified documents case
- Iowa caucuses results

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Juana Summers speaks to NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

A day after winning the Iowa caucuses by nearly 30 points, former President Donald Trump appeared in a Manhattan courtroom to face a second defamation lawsuit brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. Last year, a jury found that Trump sexually abused Carroll in the 1990s and ordered Trump to pay her $5 million for defaming her in recent years. This second case centers around additional comments Trump made about Carroll that have already been deemed defamatory by a judge. Carroll is seeking ten million dollars in addition to what she was already awarded last year.

Topics include:
- Trump back in the courtroom
- A breakdown of Carroll's claims
- A look at what comes next

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by New York University law professor Melissa Murray.

This week's focus: The DC Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments on former president Donald Trump's expansive view of presidential immunity. The three-judge panel seemed skeptical at times with the extensive scope of Trump's legal team argument — that the president could even order a political assassination and be immune from criminal prosecution so long as he wasn't convicted in an impeachment hearing. Plus we heard closing arguments in the New York civil fraud case.

Topics include:
- Scope of presidential immunity
- Strength of Trump team's arguments
- Possible appeals and timelines
- New York civil fraud case
- Georgia election interference case

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For this bonus episode of Trump's Trials, guest host Sacha Pfeiffer is joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

The DC Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments from federal prosecutors and former President Donald Trump's legal team on the question of whether Trump is immune from criminal prosecution for his actions on January 6th and attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

Topics include:
- Arguments over the scope of presidential immunity
- Possible decision outcomes
- Political implications
- What comes next

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by former Deputy Assistant Attorney General Harry Litman.

This week's focus: The Supreme Court officially takes up former President Donald Trump's appeal over Colorado's decision to disqualify him from the ballot. We also talk about how politics has changed in the three years after the January 6th attack on the Capitol. And we dive into the central question surrounding the federal January 6th election interference case — is Trump immune from criminal prosecution?

Topics include:
- Supreme Court decision to weigh in on Colorado disqualifying Trump from the ballot
- Presidential immunity
- Politics surrounding January 6th
- Trump & Biden campaigning on January 6th

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For this bonus episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow is joined by Maine's Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.

Last week Bellows ruled that former President Donald Trump's name should be removed from the Republican primary ballot in the state, under section three of the 14th Amendment. The Civil War era provision disqualifies anyone who has engaged in an insurrection against the U.S. Constitution from running for office. For now Trump remains on the ballot until a higher court weighs in.

Topics include:
- Reasoning for this decision
- Response to criticism
- Need for U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in
- Concerns over threats

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow is joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

This week's focus: The Supreme Court and presidential immunity. The court decided they would not take up Special Counsel Jack Smith's request to fast-track arguments on whether former President Donald Trump is immune from prosecution for alleged crimes committed while in office. Instead, the case will continue to make its way through the appeals process, further delaying the trial start date. Plus Colorado's Supreme Court decision to remove Trump from the Republican primary ballot.

Topics include:
- Supreme Court and presidential immunity
- Colorado Supreme Court ruling on Trump
- Predictions on how the U.S. Supreme Court may eventually respond
- A look ahead to 2024

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by former Deputy Assistant Attorney General Harry Litman.

This week's focus: the January 6th federal election interference case. Prosecutor, Special Counsel Jack Smith, made an unusual move, and sidestepped the appeals court and went straight to the Supreme Court to answer a fundamental question at the heart of the case:. Can presidents be criminally prosecuted for crimes they are allegedly committed while in office?

Topics include:
- Presidential immunity
- Does presidential immunity apply to Trump's actions on January 6th
- Predictions on how the Supreme Court may respond
- New case timeline
- An update on the New York Civil Fraud trial

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson. We focus on the January 6th federal election interference case led by special counsel Jack Smith. The case is scheduled to go to trial in March in Washington, D.C., and it might be coming to a TV near you.

Yes, Trump and some media outlets are requesting cameras in the courtroom. We'll talk about how likely that is, how it could impact the case and the campaign, plus some news from a couple of key swing states.

Topics include:
- How televising the trial could help and hurt Trump
- The Trump team's attempts to delay the trial
- Prosecution and defense strategies for the federal election interference case
- Trump's attempts to invoke presidential immunity
- Pro-Trump electors from Wisconsin admit President Biden won the 2020 election
- Pro-Trump electors criminally indicted in Nevada over attempts to overturn Biden's 2020 win

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This week on Trump's Trials, guest host Miles Parks and Domenico Montanaro look at how one judge, Aileen Cannon, could be slow-walking the federal classified documents case in Florida. Delays in that case could impact the three other criminal trials Trump is facing — and put legal and political calendars ahead of the 2024 race on a collision course. Plus an update from the Georgia election case and the gag order from the New York civil fraud case.

Our guest is NYU law professor Melissa Murray.

Topics include:
- Judge Aileen Cannon's background & experience and questions about possible bias
- Why there've been delays in the Florida classified documents case
- Consequences if the Florida classified documents case is postponed
- The New York civil fraud gag order being reinstated
- Georgia prosecutors not offering plea deals to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani

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This week, Scott Detrow and NPR political editor/correspondent Domenico Montanaro discuss gag orders in multiple cases against President Donald Trump and his attempts to weaponize them politically. Plus an update in the New York Civil trial and a Colorado case you might've missed.

They're joined by NPR justice correspondent Carrie Johnson. Topics include:

- Gag orders in the federal election case and the New York civil fraud trial
- The legal and political challenges of implementing gag orders on Trump
- Real world consequences of Trump's verbal attacks
- Attempts in Colorado to kick Trump off the ballot

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This week, Scott Detrow and NPR political editor/correspondent Domenico Montanaro discuss leaked confidential videos of two former Trump lawyers and what those videos could mean for the Georgia election interference case. Plus a new development in the January 6 case.

Their guest is NYU's Melissa Murray. Topics include:

-The potential consequences of leaked videos in court — and the court of public opinion
-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell admitting she 'didn't know much' about election fraud.
-Why it matters that a judge rejected an attempt by Trump lawyers to limit mentions of January 6 violence in the election interference trial
-The prospect of additional guilty pleas in the Georgia election interference case

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On this inaugural episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and NPR political editor/correspondent Domenico Montanaro break down this week's testimony from former President Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka in the New York civil fraud case brought against the Trump Organization.

This week's guest is NYU's Melissa Murray. Topics include:

-Arguments in the New York case so far
-Whether Donald Trump actually cares if he loses
-Why Trump sounded a lot different on the witness stand this week than he has in the past — while Ivanka, notably, did not
-Why you should never email your family from a work account (especially if you also work with them)

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NPR's Scott Detrow hosts a weekly discussion about the latest courtroom drama, testimony, and legal maneuvering in the criminal and civil cases facing former President Donald Trump — and what it all means for American democracy — with analysis from NPR political editor/correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org.

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