The prosecutors who charged Donald Trump with 34 felonies and the lawyers defending the former president against the accusations spent all day today delivering their final arguments to the jury of 12 New Yorkers who will soon decide Trump’s fate.
Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, went first. He spent three hours attacking the prosecution’s case — which argues that Trump falsified records to cover up a sex scandal — as “absurd” and “preposterous.” He insisted to the jury that they ought to have reasonable doubt about Trump’s guilt.
The main thrust of Blanche’s argument was that the prosecution’s key witness, Michael Cohen, could not be trusted. He portrayed Cohen, Trump’s former fixer, as a greedy liar bent on revenge and labeled him the “G.L.O.A.T.,” or the greatest liar of all time. Blanche’s calculus is simple: Cohen offered the prosecution’s most direct link between Trump and the alleged crime. So if the jury doesn’t believe him, they may have a hard time finding Trump guilty.
The prosecution, represented by Joshua Steinglass, fired back by defending Cohen and weaving a sweeping story of how Trump, with help from Cohen and the tabloid The National Enquirer, sought to bury negative news stories before the election. “This scheme, cooked up by these men, at this time, could very well be what got President Trump elected,” he said. “This was overt election fraud.”
Steinglass was still delivering his closing arguments as we sent this newsletter. Here’s the latest.
What’s next: Jury deliberations could begin as soon as tomorrow. It could take them anywhere from a few hours to weeks to reach a verdict. If convicted, Trump faces up to four years in prison.
Israel pushed on in Rafah
The Israeli military said today that its forces were pressing on with their ground assault in Rafah, in southern Gaza, where they engaged in close-quarters combat with Hamas fighters. Israel’s military campaign there has faced fierce international criticism, especially in the wake of a deadly airstrike on Sunday that killed dozens of Palestinians.
Israeli officials said that the assault had targeted a Hamas compound, and that its bombs were too small to have caused the massive fire. But Israel’s military promised to investigate the strike after a series of international leaders called for accountability and a halt in the fighting.
The U.S. is facing pressure to approve attacks in Russia
Ukraine is preparing for a Russian offensive from the northeast, where Ukrainian officials say Russia has amassed some 10,000 troops near the border. The situation there has prompted several Western leaders to call for the U.S. to allow Ukraine to use American weapons to strike within Russia. Without that power, the Ukrainians say their hands are tied.
The Biden administration has debated taking such a step but has feared escalating the war. Vladimir Putin warned today that Western countries helping Ukraine strike inside Russia should be aware of “what they’re playing with.”
Dangerous winds and hail hit Texas
More than a million Texans were without power today after powerful storms brought rain, high winds and hail the size of golf balls to parts of the state. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, which is one of the busiest in the country, grounded flights for several hours.
The storms hit the region as it was recovering from deadly tornadoes that swept across the state over the weekend.
Also in Texas, a few runoff elections today are worth keeping an eye on.
Was an identity thief behind a plot to sell Graceland?
A Times reporter last week sent an email to an address listed in legal documents as a company that planned to foreclose on and sell Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley. There had been little evidence of the company’s existence, and Elvis’s granddaughter had argued in a lawsuit that the foreclosure was fraudulent.
The response that my colleague received added a bizarre twist to the story: The writer told The Times that he was based in Nigeria, and claimed to be the leader of a ring that preys on dead, older or unsuspecting Americans. As for the attempt to auction off Graceland, he said, “I had fun figuring this one out, and it didn’t succeed very well.”
The wizard of jeans
Benjamin Talley Smith is one of the most influential people in fashion you’ve never heard of. He is a denim specialist whose name has been passed from brand to brand like a secret password, and he may well have made the jeans you’re currently wearing.
Smith has worked with Tommy Hilfiger, Alexander Wang, Walmart and other companies looking for a bigger share of the rapidly growing jean market. Our fashion critic Vanessa Friedman explained why brands keep turning to Smith, who calls himself the denim whisperer.
A solar spectacle in New York
About two hours after this newsletter hits your inbox, crowds of residents and tourists will flood the streets of Manhattan for a spectacular view: The setting sun will perfectly align with the street grid, casting a glow down the city’s broad west-east corridors and illuminating the city’s famous skyscrapers. It’s known as Manhattanhenge.
The solar event, which happens twice a year, can bring the entire borough to a brief halt, prompting people to celebrate an otherwise normal daily sunset. “The whole thing is just a nice, relaxing summer party and celebration of astronomy,” one scientist said.
Have a radiant evening.
Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Matthew
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