Trump and supporters arrive before Cohen’s testimony.

Former President Trump had a significant show of support on Monday morning outside the Manhattan courtroom, where the NY v. Trump trial was set to hear from key witness Michael Cohen. Among the high-profile supporters present were Ohio Sen. JD Vance, New York Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, Eric Trump, and others standing behind the 45th president for what promised to be a crucial day in court.

During his media appearance early Monday morning, Trump emphasized his claim that the ongoing trial is a “baseless, politically motivated prosecution” orchestrated by the Biden administration. He also highlighted a recent poll showing him leading Biden in critical battleground states.

Trump asserted, “The New York Times just came out with a poll that shows us leading everywhere by a lot. This is the cover story. And I think you’ll find it very interesting, but I’m sure you’ve all read it. Leading in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Michigan, Georgia, and Nevada. Nevada, we are leading actually by 12 points, which is generally a Democrat state.”

The trial’s 16th day commenced with testimony from Trump’s former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, focusing on the alleged falsification of business records. Prosecutors contend that Cohen paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 to silence her claims of an extramarital encounter with Trump. They further allege that the Trump Organization reimbursed Cohen and fraudulently categorized the payments as legal expenses, pushing to demonstrate that Trump falsified records with the intent to commit or conceal a second crime.

Despite the allegations, Trump pleaded not guilty in the case. Daniels testified last week, recounting an encounter with Trump in 2006 during a celebrity golf event in Lake Tahoe. While Daniels claimed they engaged in sexual activities, Trump consistently denied the allegations publicly. She also detailed transitioning into the pornography industry after working as an exotic dancer as a teenager.

Legal experts criticized Daniels’ testimony as irrelevant to the case, arguing that some of her statements should not have been submitted as evidence. Despite the Trump legal team’s attempts to declare a mistrial twice, Judge Juan Merchan denied their motions.

Cohen, referred to as a “grifter” by some critics, has taken a vocal stance against Trump after parting ways as his attorney. In a TikTok video last month, Cohen stated, “Trump 2024? More like Trump 20-24 years.”

After instructing New York prosecutors to advice Cohen against making comments about the case or Trump, Judge Merchan reminded that while Cohen was not under a gag order, he should refrain from making prejudicial remarks.

Trump’s supporters flocked to a large rally in New Jersey over the weekend, where the former president claimed that over 100,000 people attended the event. Trump suggested that his support in New Jersey was strong, despite the mainstream media’s purported lack of coverage of the substantial crowd size.

Monday’s court proceedings marked another pivotal day in the ongoing trial, with Trump adamant in his innocence and vehemently defending himself against the charges brought forth. As the trial unfolded, all eyes were on the testimonies and developments in this high-stakes legal battle.