In Donald J. Trump's ongoing criminal trial in Manhattan, his defense team concluded its case without calling Trump himself to testify. The trial revolves around 34 counts of falsifying business records. Following the defense's decision, closing arguments are slated for the day after Memorial Day, marking a critical juncture in the legal proceedings.

Throughout the trial, prosecutors presented a series of witnesses over a span of five weeks, including Michael D. Cohen, Trump's former personal attorney, who played a pivotal role by disclosing a $130,000 hush-money payment to a pornographic actress just before the 2016 presidential election. This payment and Trump's subsequent reimbursement to Cohen constitute the core of the 34 felony charges against the former president.

The defense's strategy largely centered on discrediting Cohen's testimony, with Robert Costello, an informal legal adviser to Cohen, initially expected to bolster this effort. However, Costello's own credibility came under scrutiny during his testimony. Prosecutors aimed to portray Costello as effectively acting as Trump's agent to dissuade Cohen from cooperating with investigators following a federal raid in 2018.

Key to the prosecution's case was Cohen's detailed testimony regarding an agreement involving Trump, himself, and David Pecker, the longtime publisher of The National Enquirer, to suppress negative stories about Trump, including the hush-money payment to the actress. Cohen recounted Trump instructing him to "just take care of it," referring to the payment, and outlined the subsequent arrangement for reimbursement by Trump, which allegedly included confirmation in an Oval Office meeting.

In response, Trump's defense team painted Cohen as an unreliable witness driven by animosity towards Trump, portraying him as a habitual liar seeking retribution.

Notably, Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., appeared in court for the first time during the trial, indicating the significance of the legal proceedings for the Trump family. Additionally, Chuck Zito, a former leader of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang, joined Trump's entourage in court, adding a layer of intrigue to the high-profile trial.

As the trial adjourns for the Memorial Day weekend, the jury, composed of 12 New Yorkers, has been instructed to refrain from discussing the case or accessing related news until proceedings resume next Tuesday.