Former President Donald Trump has been convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records after facing charges last year by a Manhattan grand jury. This marks the first time a former U.S. president has been found guilty of a crime.

Prosecutors claimed that Trump engaged in a "scheme" aimed at boosting his presidential campaign in 2016. This alleged scheme involved secret payments made by others, and the manipulation of New York business records to conceal these payments.

Here is a chronological account of the case, beginning with Trump's initial presidential campaign announcement:

June 16, 2015

Trump announces his candidacy for president.

August 2015

Trump met with David Pecker, then-chairman and CEO of American Media Inc. -- the parent company of the National Enquirer -- at Trump Tower in New York. Pecker agreed to support Trump's campaign by suppressing negative stories about him, according to prosecutors' statement of facts. He also agreed to publish negative stories about Trump's political opponents, as stated in the Manhattan DA's filing.

October/November 2015

Pecker learned that a former Trump Tower doorman was seeking to sell information alleging that Trump had fathered a child out of wedlock, according to the statement of facts. At the CEO's direction, AMI negotiated and signed an agreement to pay the doorman $30,000 in exchange for acquiring exclusive rights to the story. AMI allegedly misrepresented this payment in its accounting records, according to the statement of facts.

AMI purchased the story without conducting a thorough investigation, as instructed by Pecker, who was allegedly working with Trump. According to the statement of facts, AMI later concluded the story was untrue and wanted to release the doorman from the agreement. However, Lawyer A, believed to be Michael Cohen, a lawyer for the Trump Organization, allegedly instructed them not to do so until after the presidential election, as per the statement of facts.

June 2016

The National Enquirer's editor-in-chief and chief content officer contacted Cohen (Lawyer A) about a woman -- believed to be Playboy model Karen McDougal -- who claimed to have had a sexual relationship with Trump while he was married. According to the statement of facts, Cohen (Lawyer A) received regular updates from the National Enquirer about this matter through text messages and phone calls. Trump reportedly wanted to keep this information private, fearing its potential impact on his presidential campaign, as indicated in the statement of facts.

AMI ultimately pays the woman $150,000 in exchange for her silence about the alleged affair. She also receives two magazine cover features and a series of articles published under her name, according to the statement of facts.

Prosecutors claim that this agreement was made with the understanding that Trump or the Trump Organization would reimburse AMI for the payment, according to the statement of facts.

Trump has denied the affair.

September 2016

An audio recording reportedly captures a conversation between Trump and Cohen (Lawyer A) discussing how to acquire the rights to the woman's story from AMI and reimburse them for the payment, according to the official statement.

Cohen (Lawyer A) allegedly informs Trump he will establish a company to handle the woman's account and states he has discussed the setup with Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg, according to the statement of facts.

A shell company -- called Resolution Consultants, LLC -- is allegedly established around Sept. 30, 2016. On or about that date, Pecker signs an agreement transferring the rights of the woman's account to the shell company owned by Cohen (Lawyer A) for $125,000, according to court documents. However, before the reimbursement was made, Pecker consulted AMI's general counsel and then informed Cohen (Lawyer A) that the deal was off.

Oct. 7, 2016

News surfaces that Trump was recorded in 2005 telling the host of the "Access Hollywood" entertainment show, "I just start kissing them [women]. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. ... Grab 'em by the [genitals]. You can do anything."

According to prosecutors, evidence suggests that both Trump and his campaign staff were worried that the tape would harm his prospects as a candidate and diminish his standing with female voters in particular.

In a statement Trump released after the recording was leaked, he apologized and called his remarks "locker room banter, a private conversation that took place many years ago."

Oct. 10, 2016

AMI's editor-in-chief contacts Pecker about a second woman -- believed to be adult film actress Stormy Daniels -- who alleged she had a sexual encounter with Trump while he was married, according to the statement of facts. Pecker instructs the editor-in-chief to notify Cohen (Lawyer A).

The AMI editor-in-chief connects Cohen (Lawyer A) with the woman's attorney. The two then negotiate an agreement to keep the woman silent. The woman would be compensated $130,000 for the rights to her story, according to the statement of facts.

Trump allegedly instructs Cohen (Lawyer A) to postpone making a payment to the second woman as long as possible, according to prosecutors. If he can delay making the payment until after the election, they could avoid paying at all, Trump allegedly says, per prosecutors. Prosecutors claim emails and text messages between both lawyers and the AMI editor-in-chief show they attempted to delay making the payment for as long as possible, according to the statement of facts.

Ultimately, Trump consents to the payoff and directs Cohen (Lawyer A) to proceed, prosecutors claim. Trump allegedly does not wish to make the payment himself and asked Cohen (Lawyer A) and Weisselberg to find a way to make the payment, according to the statement of facts. Cohen (Lawyer A) makes the payment after verifying that Trump would reimburse him.

Oct. 26, 2016

Shortly after speaking with Trump on the phone, Cohen (Lawyer A) opens a bank account in Manhattan under the name of a shell company he had established to make the payment, according to the statement of facts.

Cohen, referred to as Lawyer A in legal documents, transfers $131,000 from his personal home equity line of credit into the account.

Oct. 27, 2016

Cohen (Lawyer A) transfers $130,000 to a lawyer representing the second woman who claims Trump had a sexual encounter with her while he was married to silence her story, according to court documents.

Nov. 8, 2016

Trump emerges victorious in the presidential race.

AMI then releases the doorman and the first accuser from their nondisclosure agreements, according to legal documents.

By Jan. 20, 2017

Prosecutors claim that between Election Day and Inauguration Day, Trump holds private meetings with Pecker at Trump Tower in Manhattan, expressing gratitude for Pecker's handling of the stories involving the doorman and the first woman, as outlined in the statement of facts.

Trump invites Pecker to his inauguration, according to the statement of facts.

January 2017

Trump organizes to reimburse Cohen, Lawyer A, for the payment he made on Trump's behalf shortly after assuming the presidency, according to the statement of facts.

Cohen, identified as Lawyer A in the statement of facts, met with Weisselberg to discuss how he would be reimbursed. Weisselberg asked Cohen to provide a bank statement from the shell company account showing the $130,000 payment.

Weisselberg and Cohen (Lawyer A) settled on a total repayment of $420,000. This figure included double the initial $130,000 payment, a $50,000 reimbursement for another expense, and a $60,000 year-end bonus. The bonus was intended to allow Cohen to categorize the payment as income on his tax returns rather than a reimbursement, as per the statement of facts.

Trump, Weisselberg, and Cohen, Lawyer A, agree that the lawyer would be compensated $420,000 through 12 monthly installments of $35,000 over the course of 2017, according to legal documents. Cohen, Lawyer A, was to send an invoice to the Trump Org each month falsely claiming a payment of $35,000 for legal services provided. Cohen, Lawyer A, does not have a retainer agreement with Trump or the Trump Organization, according to prosecutors.

February 2017

Cohen, Lawyer A, meets with Trump in the Oval Office to confirm the repayment arrangement in February 2017, as detailed in the statement of facts.

Feb. 14, 2017

Cohen (Lawyer A) sends an email to the Trump Organization with the initial monthly invoice, requesting two $35,000 payments for January and February, which were reportedly approved by Weisselberg, according to the statement of facts.

Throughout 2017

Cohen (Lawyer A) submits 10 similar invoices for the remaining months of 2017, but was not officially hired, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors claim the Trump Organization incorrectly categorized each payment as a "legal expense," according to the statement of facts.

Prosecutors allege that the first check was issued from Trump's trust and signed by Weisselberg and Trump's son, acting as trustees. The check was falsely recorded as payments for legal services rendered in January and February 2017, according to the official statement.

A second payment, for March 2017, was also paid from the trust and signed by two trustees, according to the statement of facts.

The remaining nine payments, from April to December 2017, were made by Trump personally, according to the statement of facts. Trump reportedly signed each of the checks himself and had them delivered to the Trump Organization in New York. They were then scanned and stored in its data system before being detached and sent to Cohen (Lawyer A), according to the statement of facts.

The last payment of $35,000 was made for December 2017, according to the statement of facts.

Summer 2017

Trump invites Pecker to the White House for a dinner to express his gratitude for Pecker's assistance during the campaign, according to the official statement.

April 9, 2018

The FBI executes a search warrant at Cohen's residences and office , according to a statement of facts. Prosecutors allege that in the months following, Trump and others engaged in a public and private campaign to try to ensure that Cohen did not cooperate with law enforcement in the federal investigation.

Cohen (Attorney A) communicates with Trump on the day of the FBI searches, according to prosecutors. Trump allegedly told him to "remain steadfast," according to the statement of facts.

April 21, 2018

Trump publicly discourages Cohen from "cooperating" in a series of tweets saying, "Most people will cooperate if the Government lets them out of trouble, even if it means lying or making up stories. Sorry, I don't see Michael doing that."

Mid-April 2018

Cohen (Lawyer A), facing legal matters, is contacted by an attorney -- Lawyer C -- who proposes to represent him, aiming to establish a "secret communication channel" to Trump, according to the statement of facts.

On April 21, 2018, Attorney C allegedly emails Cohen (Attorney A) stating that he has a close relationship with Trump's personal counsel, identified as Attorney D, according to the statement of facts.

June 14, 2018

Attorney C emails Cohen (Attorney A) a news article discussing the possibility of him cooperating with law enforcement, advising him against it, according to the statement of facts.

"The primary goal of this endeavor by the [federal prosecutors] is to exhaust you, emotionally and financially, until you reach a point where you see them as your only path to relief," Attorney C wrote in the email, according to the statement of facts.

In the same email, Lawyer C wrote, "You are making a serious error if you believe the stories these 'journalists' are writing about you. They want you to give in. They want you to fail. They do not want you to persist and succeed," according to the statement of facts.

July 2, 2018

In a comprehensive interview that airs on "Good Morning America," his first since the FBI searched his office and homes in April, Cohen strongly signals his willingness to cooperate with special counsel Robert Mueller and federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York -- even if it puts Trump at risk.

"My wife, my daughter and my son have my first loyalty and always will," Cohen tells
' George Stephanopoulos. "I put family and country first."

Aug. 21, 2018

Cohen admits guilt in the federal inquiry acknowledging his role in AMI's payment to McDougal (Woman 1) to influence the election, according to the indictment, and stating in his plea that he had acted under Trump's instruction.

Cohen also pleads guilty in connection with his payment to Daniels to secure her silence, claiming it was done at Trump's direction, according to the statement of facts.

Trump comments on Twitter saying, "If anyone is in need of legal representation, I would strongly advise you to avoid hiring Michael Cohen!"

September 2018

Cohen and AMI acknowledged guilt in connection with the payments made to the two women who alleged extramarital relationships with Trump, according to the statement of facts.

AMI entered into an agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York to avoid prosecution regarding the payment made to Woman 1. They admitted that they never intended to publish a story during the negotiation or acquisition of her story, a practice known as "catch and kill," according to the statement of facts.

Nov. 3, 2020

After a bitter campaign for reelection, Trump goes head to head with Joe Biden on Election Day. Four days later, it's clear Trump has lost after
projects Pennsylvania for Biden.

March 2021

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance announces he will not seek another term after 12 years in office, with the investigation into Trump still ongoing. His office had begun to look into hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels in 2018.

Nov. 2, 2021

Alvin Bragg is elected district attorney in Manhattan. Upon taking office, he takes over the investigation into Trump .

Bragg had led the investigation into the Trump Foundation in 2017 under then-Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for "extensive unlawful political actions" with the charity's funds and using them for personal matters. The foundation was dissolved and Trump was required to pay $2 million as part of a settlement in 2019 .

Nov. 4, 2021

Vance convenes a new grand jury for a period of six months to hear evidence against Trump, setting the stage for its duration to extend until after he leaves office in January.

The grand jury that was already assembled was set to expire. It had voted to bring charges against the Trump Organization and its CFO, Weisselberg , on unrelated matters.

Jan. 1, 2022

Bragg assumes the role of Manhattan's new district attorney. Before stepping down, Vance declines to file charges against Trump.

Feb. 22, 2022

The two lead prosecutors on the Trump investigation, Assistant District Attorneys Carey Dunne and Mark Pomerantz, step down from the district attorney's office.

Pomerantz later reveals that he disagreed with Bragg's decision to not bring charges against Trump in Bragg's early days as DA. Pomerantz was formerly a special prosecutor with the Southern District of New York.

The investigation continues after their departures but doubt is cast on whether charges will be brought against Trump.

Aug. 18, 2022

Weisselberg admits guilt to tax evasion , acknowledging he evaded taxes on nearly $2 million in income in a yearslong scheme. He agrees to a plea bargain for five months in prison and to testify against the Trump Organization at the upcoming trial in October. But, the plea agreement does not require him to testify against Trump himself.

Dec. 5, 2022

Bragg announces the hiring of Matthew Colangelo as senior counsel. He was a previous Department of Justice official and prior to that worked at the New York Attorney General's Office where he was part of the team that investigated the Trump Foundation.

Dec. 6, 2022

A jury finds the Trump Organization guilty on all charges of tax fraud brought by the Manhattan district attorney's office.

The charges include a scheme to defraud, conspiracy, illegal tax evasion and manipulating business records.

Beginning of 2023

A grand jury has been hearing testimony about the hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, sources tell
, including testimony from Pecker , the longtime Trump confidant. The DA's office also has the cooperation of Cohen.

Jan. 18, 2023

In a letter to book publisher Simon & Schuster, Bragg says he is concerned that an upcoming book about Trump written by Pomerantz could interfere with the district attorney's office's investigation. Bragg asks the publisher to hold off on releasing the book for 60 days so that they can review the manuscript.

Pomerantz's publisher says the book will be released in February as planned.

Jan. 30, 2023

Pecker becomes one of the first individuals to provide testimony in front of the reconvened grand jury as it investigates hush money payments to Daniels.

Feb. 7, 2023

Simon & Schuster releases Pomerantz's book, "People vs. Donald Trump: An Inside Account," in which he criticizes Bragg, saying Bragg made a mistake by not pursuing a case against Trump at the start of his term. Pomerantz had been assigned to the case by Vance.

Bragg addresses the criticism , stating that the case against Trump was not yet prepared.

Feb. 8, 2023

Cohen meets with prosecutors investigating Trump for the 15th time, but this meeting is his first since the grand jury convened.

March 13, 2023

Cohen once again provides testimony to the grand jury investigating the hush money payments.

March 20, 2023

Bob Costello, a lawyer who claims to have previously advised Cohen, tells reporters that his former client has a "lie, cheat, steal" mentality after Costello testifies for the defense before the Manhattan grand jury investigating Trump's role in the hush payment to Daniels.

Costello, a longtime Trump ally, appears before the grand jury as an exculpatory witness after Trump's legal team asked the DA to allow him to testify, according to a letter to prosecutors obtained by
.

"I'm attempting to present the truth to the grand jury," Costello tells reporters after testifying. "If they wish to pursue Donald Trump and possess strong evidence, then so be it. Michael Cohen does not provide strong evidence."

March 27, 2023

Pecker returns to testify before the grand jury for approximately an hour, according to sources familiar with the proceedings. The district attorney's office may have summoned Pecker to strengthen Cohen's previous testimony regarding the purpose of the payment.

March 30, 2023

A Manhattan grand jury issues an indictment against Trump, making him the first former or current president to face criminal charges. The details of the indictment are kept confidential, so the specific charges against him remain unknown. However, Trump announces his intention to turn himself in to the authorities, stating he will travel to New York the following week.

April 3, 2023

Trump leaves his Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago, and travels to New York City, arriving a day before he is scheduled to surrender to the court. He spends the night at his apartment in Trump Tower.

April 4, 2023

Trump departs from his midtown Manhattan location and arrives at the Manhattan courthouse where he undergoes processing by law enforcement officials. He is then escorted to the courtroom for his arraignment and the public release of the indictment.

The former president pleads not guilty to 34 felony charges related to falsifying business records, stemming from payments made to Daniels. Prosecutors claim that Trump engaged in a "scheme" to enhance his election prospects in the 2016 presidential race. This alleged scheme involved hush money payments made by others to aid his campaign. They further allege that Trump intentionally and illegally altered New York business records to conceal this illicit activity.

Trump promptly returns to Mar-a-Lago, where he delivers a speech to his supporters that evening. He criticizes Bragg for filing the charges, stating, "We are a nation in decline, and now these radical left lunatics want to interfere in elections by using law enforcement. We can't let that happen."

April 12, 2023

A threatening letter containing white powder is sent to Bragg, marking the second such incident since Trump began commenting on his impending indictment on social media. There are no reports of injuries or illness.

Bragg himself has received "multiple" death threats since Trump's indictment, police sources tell
.

April 17, 2023

Prosecutors argue that the judge overseeing Trump's criminal case should request additional information from one of his lawyers concerning a potential conflict of interest.

Trump's legal team includes Joe Tacopina, a lawyer Daniels previously considered hiring to represent her. The Manhattan district attorney's office asserts that Tacopina's explanations thus far are insufficient. Trump confirmed at his arraignment that he wished to proceed with Tacopina on his legal team, but Susan Hoffinger, the executive assistant district attorney, stated that a comprehensive hearing would be necessary.

The potential conflict was brought to light by Daniels' current legal counsel, Clark Brewster, who indicated in a letter to the Manhattan district attorney's office that Daniels had a conversation with Tacopina and attorneys from his firm in 2018.

Tacopina has maintained that he never spoke to Daniels and informed the judge that his firm declined to represent her.

May 8, 2023

Judge Juan Merchan, the New York City judge presiding over Trump's criminal case, issues a protective order against Trump to safeguard evidence shared by the DA's office from being disseminated online.

Prosecutors requested the protective order due to what they described as Trump's "extensive history" of making inflammatory statements about witnesses, prosecutors, and others involved in legal proceedings against him, assistant district attorney Catherine McCaw stated when seeking the order.

May 24, 2023

Judge Merchan schedules a trial for March 25, 2024, to hear Trump's case on charges of falsifying business records. He had previously stated that no one involved in the case can plan anything that would interfere with the trial.

The judge also reviews the terms of the protective order with Trump, which prohibits him from sharing any evidence provided by the Manhattan district attorney during discovery on social media.

June 2, 2023

Trump's attorneys ask Judge Merchan to recuse himself , citing the judge's daughter's ties to a Democratic organization.

The defense argues that the judge cannot be impartial because his daughter is an executive at Authentic Campaigns, a Democratic consulting firm that worked on President Joe Biden's 2020 campaign.

Merchan will ultimately decide whether he is impartial.

June 16, 2023

Trump attempts in a new legal filing to have his criminal case in New York transferred to federal court , arguing that the alleged crimes "occurred during his presidency."

Trump's lawyers accuse the Manhattan district attorney's office of "deliberately misrepresenting and overlooking relevant facts and legal precedent" by trying to keep the case in state court.

June 27, 2023

A federal judge appears reluctant to allow Trump to move his criminal case in New York to federal court.

"The act for which the president has been indicted has no connection to his official duties," says Judge Alvin Hellerstein, adding that he will make a decision in the near future.

July 19, 2023

Federal judge Alvin Hellerstein denies Trump's motion to move his hush-money criminal case to federal court.

"Trump has not demonstrated that the actions described in the indictment were performed in connection with his official duties as President," Hellerstein concludes in his ruling.

August 28, 2023

The judge presiding over Trump's federal election interference case sets the trial date for March 4, 2024, after consulting with Bragg to discuss potential overlap with another case also scheduled for that month.

Sept. 12, 2023

Judge Merchan indicates a willingness to adjust the trial date , currently set for March 4, citing "recent events involving Mr. Trump."

Sept. 18, 2023

Judge Merchan rules that attorney Joe Tacopina has no conflict of interest in representing Trump in the case despite previous contact with Stormy Daniels. Tacopina had been approached about representing Daniels before she chose Michael Avenatti.

Oct. 5, 2023

Trump requests a New York judge to drop all charges in his hush money case.

"President Trump cannot be considered to have falsified business records of the Trump Organization by using his personal bank accounts to pay his lawyer," defense attorney Todd Blanche states in the motion, which characterizes the case as a "politically motivated collection of charges."

Nov. 14, 2023

Trump abandons his attempt to move his criminal hush money prosecution from Manhattan court into federal court.

Nov. 16, 2023

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, in a legal filing , opposes Trump's attempt to dismiss his criminal indictment, saying the former president is seeking "special treatment" that he does not deserve.

Jan. 15, 2024

Stormy Daniels is "set to testify" in Trump's Manhattan hush money trial set for March 25, the adult film star says on the most recent episode of her podcast.

Feb. 15, 2024

In the case's final hearing before the trial gets underway, Judge Juan Merchan -- with Trump in attendance -- rejects Trump's motion to dismiss the case and shoots down arguments from the defense that the trial should be delayed because it will interfere with Trump's campaigning for president.

Feb. 26, 2024

DA Alvin Bragg asks a judge to issue a limited gag order barring Trump from making public statements about witnesses, jurors, court staff and prosecutors other than Bragg involved in the case, citing what he calls Trump's "longstanding and perhaps singular history" of attacking people he considers to be adversaries.

Feb. 29, 2024

Prosecutors intend to use Trump's own words -- including passages from books like "Trump: The Art of the Deal" -- as evidence against him in his hush money trial, according to legal documents.

March 4, 2024

Trump's legal team has requested that Judge Juan Merchan reject the prosecution's request for a limited gag order, arguing that the former president should be allowed to fully respond to criticism from his political opponents.

March 5, 2024

The public release of the infamous 2005 "Access Hollywood" tape prior to the 2016 presidential election "acted as the catalyst" for Trump's hush payment to Stormy Daniels and should be considered admissible evidence at his upcoming trial, prosecutors assert in a court filing.

March 6, 2024

Trump's lawyers, in a filing, accuse Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of pursuing a "baseless" case against the former president by linking a hush payment to an attempt to influence the 2016 presidential election.

March 7, 2024

Judge Merchan concurs with the DA's request to restrict the release of the names and other identifying information of jurors in the upcoming trial, concluding "there is a risk of bribery, jury tampering, or of physical harm or harassment of juror(s)."

March 11, 2024

Attorneys representing Trump have asked Judge Merchan to postpone the commencement of the trial while the U.S. Supreme Court deliberates on Trump's presidential immunity argument -- but the judge pushed back, criticizing the timing of the request and instructing Trump's team to seek permission before submitting future motions.

March 12, 2024

Trump's lawyers state in court documents that they will not use the "advice of counsel" defense at the trial, but hint that Trump will argue he didn't intend to break the law "due to his awareness that several attorneys were involved."

March 14, 2024

The Manhattan district attorney's office informs Judge Merchan that they would agree to a 30-day postponement of the hush money trial, citing newly revealed evidence from the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan.

March 18, 2024

Judge Merchan rejects Trump's attempts to exclude evidence linked to the Access Hollywood tape and testimony from key witnesses in his upcoming criminal trial, but rules that prosecutors won't be allowed to play the infamous tape for jurors.

March 21, 2024

Trump's request for a long postponement of his hush money trial based on recently disclosed potential evidence is "a distraction" and part of a "tactical delay," prosecutors argue in a court filing.

Stormy Daniels, meanwhile, tells ABC's "The View" that she is "completely ready" to testify at trial.

March 25, 2024

Judge Juan Merchan schedules the trial to begin with jury selection on April 15. The decision dismisses a request by Trump's lawyers to further delay the case after the defense raised issues with the late release of over 100,000 pages of potential evidence by federal prosecutors.

March 26, 2024

Judge Merchan approved the Manhattan district attorney's request for a limited gag order on the former president, restricting Trump from making public comments about witnesses in the hush money case, potential jurors, members of the court staff and their families except for the judge, and lawyers in the case besides Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg.

The partial gag order came in response to Trump's derogatory statements about witness Michael Cohen, Judge Merchan, and Merchan's daughter, who is affiliated with a group involved in Democratic politics.

April 1, 2024

Judge Merchan expanded his limited gag order on Trump to include the family members of the judge and District Attorney Alvin Bragg, following a request by prosecutors after Trump continued to target Merchan's daughter on social media.

The development comes as sources tell
that Trump's former spokesperson Hope Hicks is expected to testify for the prosecution at the upcoming trial.

April 2, 2024

Trump's lawyers once again asked Judge Merchan to step down from the trial , seven months after the judge declined a similar request by defense attorneys.

April 3, 2024

Judge Merchan determines that Trump is not shielded from criminal charges in the case based on presidential immunity, partly because Trump did not raise the defense promptly.

The ruling comes on the same day the Manhattan DA's office asks the judge to dismiss Trump's effort to postpone the upcoming trial due to the extensive amount of pretrial publicity.

April 5, 2024

Judge Merchan rejects a summons issued to NBCUniversal by defense lawyers that had sought materials related to their documentary about Stormy Daniels, deeming the request the "very definition of a fishing expedition."

April 8, 2024

Judge Lizbeth Gonzalez of Appellate Division First Department rejects Trump's attempt to delay the upcoming trial on the basis that pretrial publicity has made it impossible to find a fair and impartial jury.

The development comes on the same day that Judge Merchan releases the questionnaire he plans to use to oversee jury selection for the trial.
, meanwhile, reports that prosecutors at the upcoming trial are expected to call several witnesses who are or were part of Trump's inner circle .

April 9, 2024

Appellate Judge Cynthia Kern denies Trump's request to delay the upcoming trial while waiting for the full panel of the Appellate Division First Department to consider, later this month, whether to loosen Trump's limited gag order.

April 10, 2024

Appellate Judge Ellen Gesmer rejects Trump's request to postpone the upcoming trial while waiting for the full panel of the Appellate Division First Department to review, later this month, Trump's challenge to a ruling by Judge Merchan barring the defense from raising objections to evidence based on presidential immunity, as well as the judge's refusal to step aside from the case.

Trump's attorneys, meanwhile, have served a subpoena on the wrong Jeremy Rosenberg , according to court filings.

April 12, 2024

Three days before the scheduled start of the trial, Judge Merchan dismisses Trump's request to delay the case due to extensive pretrial publicity.

April 15, 2024

The first criminal trial involving a former U.S. president commences in New York with the start of Donald Trump's hush money trial. The former president sits through roughly six hours of court proceedings as the process of selecting a 12-person jury begins.

April 16, 2024

On Day 2 of the trial , the first seven jurors are chosen for the 12-person jury that will be augmented with six alternates. Among the seven are an oncology nurse, an attorney, a teacher and an IT consultant.

April 17, 2024

The remaining five jurors -- five men and seven women --- are chosen for the 12-person jury on Day 3 of the trial , after a temporary setback results in the dismissal of two jurors who were previously selected.

April 19, 2024

A full jury of 12 jurors and six alternates is seated in Day 4 of the trial . The alternate jurors consist of five women and one man.

April 22, 2024

Attorneys present opening arguments in Day 5 of the trial , with prosecutors characterizing the case as "election fraud, pure and simple" and the defense aiming to distance Trump from any alleged misconduct.

April 23, 2024

Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, testifying on Day 6 of the trial , details the "catch-and-kill" agreement he reached with Trump and his then-attorney Michael Cohen during the 2016 presidential campaign.

April 25, 2024

Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testifies about then-Trump attorney Michael Cohen's payment to Stormy Daniels before being questioned by the defense on Day 7 of the trial .

April 26, 2024

Jurors on Day 8 of the trial hear testimony from witnesses including Trump's longtime Trump Organization assistant, Ronna Graff, who states she has a "vague recollection" of seeing Stormy Daniels in Trump Tower.

April 29, 2024

reports that former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, as he waits to testify in the trial, has been discussing the trial proceedings and attacking Trump in a series of TikTok livestreams that some experts say could hurt Cohen in the courtroom.

April 30, 2024

Attorney Keith Davidson, who represented both Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, testifies on Day 9 of the trial how he negotiated agreements to prevent their alleged affairs with Trump from being published.

May 2, 2024

Trump's legal team, on the tenth day of the trial , attempted to portray attorney Keith Davidson, who represented both Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, as a disreputable figure who made a career of extorting wealthy celebrities on behalf of dubious clients.

May 3, 2024

Hope Hicks, one of Trump's closest former aides, testifies on Day 11 of the trial about the "frantic" period following the 2016 campaign's discovery of the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape and its imminent release.

May 6, 2024

Two long-serving employees of the Trump Organization testify on Day 12 of the trial regarding their role in executing a series of payments to then-Trump attorney Michael Cohen in 2017.

May 7, 2024

Facing Donald Trump for the first time in over a decade, Stormy Daniels, taking the stand on Day 13 of the trial , provides a detailed account of the alleged 2006 sexual encounter with Trump that he sought to conceal before the 2016 presidential election, fearing it would harm his campaign.

Trump's lawyers, who deny the encounter occurred, subsequently request a mistrial, arguing that Daniels' explicit testimony was "highly prejudicial." However, Judge Merchan rejects the request, stating that a mistrial is not the appropriate solution, and instead, suggests the defense should cross-examine Daniels.

May 8, 2024

Trump's legal team asks an appellate court to expedite his appeal challenging the constitutionality of the limited gag order in his hush money case.

May 9, 2024

During a heated cross-examination, Stormy Daniels vigorously denies claims that she fabricated her story of a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump to gain financial benefits. She insists to the jury on Day 14 of the trial that her encounter with Trump and the subsequent fame had a "negative" impact on her life.

Jurors also hear testimony from former Trump White House aide Madeleine Westerhout, who provides details about how Trump, during his presidency, signed Michael Cohen's reimbursement checks.

May 10, 2024

Former White House aide Madeleine Westerhout, on Day 15 of the trial , reveals that Donald Trump "was very upset" with a 2018 Wall Street Journal article exposing the hush-money payment to Daniels, stating that "my understanding is he knew it would be hurtful to his family."

May 13, 2024

Appearing composed and calm on the stand, key witness Michael Cohen, Trump's former attorney at the center of the hush money case, testifies on Day 16 of the trial that Trump instructed him to "just take care of" a payment to silence Stormy Daniels in the final days of his 2016 presidential campaign. He further claims that Trump approved the final $130,000 agreement and signed off on the reimbursement plan.

Cohen testifies that the sole purpose of the scheme was to protect Trump's political prospects and conceal his involvement in orchestrating the arrangements.

May 14, 2024

In a contentious start to former Trump attorney Michael Cohen's cross-examination, Trump's defense team, on Day 17 of the trial , probes Cohen's motivations for testifying against Trump, emphasizing Cohen's TikTok videos criticizing the former president, contrasting them with his previous praise and admiration for Trump.

May 16, 2024

Trump's legal team launches a vigorous effort to cast doubt on former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen's credibility, aiming to portray Cohen as a habitual liar with a personal grudge against his ex-boss on Day 18 of the trial .

May 20, 2024

Following the defense's completion of its cross-examination of former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, the prosecution concludes its case on Day 19 of the trial . For the defense's second witness, Trump's attorneys call Cohen's former legal advisor Robert Costello, who receives a stern rebuke from Judge Merchan for allegedly violating "courtroom decorum."

May 21, 2024

After Michael Cohen's former legal advisor Robert Costello finishes his testimony, the defense concludes its case on Day 20 of the trial -- without Trump taking the stand in his own defense. The parties then finalize the instructions that will be given to the jury following closing arguments.

May 28, 2024

Labeling former Trump attorney Michael Cohen an "MVP of liars," Trump's lawyers contend in their lengthy closing argument that Trump should be acquitted of all charges because prosecutors presented "absolutely no evidence of an intent to defraud" and because the former president had "absolutely no intent to unlawfully influence the 2016 election."

In their own lengthy closing statement , prosecutors inform the jury that Trump selected Cohen as his "fixer" because Cohen was "willing to lie and cheat," and that the state has presented a "mountain of evidence" demonstrating that Trump was involved in a "conspiracy to corrupt the 2016 election and a coverup to hide that conspiracy."

May 29, 2024

In their first day of deliberations, the jury requests a review of four pieces testimony from the trial: three from former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker and one from former Trump attorney Michael Cohen.

May 30, 2024

After two days of deliberation, the jury found former President Trump guilty on all 34 charges in his hush money trial, making him the first former U.S. president to be convicted on criminal charges. Judge Juan Merchan scheduled Trump's sentencing for July 11.

"This trial was a sham," the former president told reporters outside the courtroom. "I am completely innocent."

May 31, 2024

President Joe Biden, responding to Trump's conviction , said, "The American principle that no one is above the law has been reaffirmed. Donald Trump was given every chance to defend himself."

"That's how the American justice system functions, and it's reckless, it's dangerous, it's irresponsible for anyone to call this rigged simply because they don't like the outcome," Biden said.

June 2, 2024

Trump's legal team said the former president will appeal his hush money conviction, but in the meantime, he will cooperate with the court's standard pre-sentencing investigation.

June 4, 2024

While awaiting sentencing, former President Trump asked Judge Merchan to remove the limited gag order that prevents him from discussing witnesses, jurors, and others involved in the case.

June 5, 2024

Sources indicate that the NYPD will be taking away former President Trump's gun permit following his conviction for criminal hush money payments.

June 10, 2024

Former President Trump is being interviewed by New York City probation officials as part of the standard pre-sentencing investigation, according to sources.

The New Jersey attorney general's Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, meanwhile, says it is reviewing the liquor licenses held by Trump's golf courses following his criminal conviction.

June 10, 2024

A top Justice Department official informs House Republicans in a letter that an extensive search of DOJ records has uncovered no communication between senior DOJ officials and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office regarding their state prosecution of former President Trump.

June 12, 2024

Trump's lawyers continue to argue to remove the limited gag order in the case, claiming that Trump's "political opponents" -- including President Biden, Robert DeNiro, Michael Cohen, and Stormy Daniels -- are using the gag order as a "weapon" to attack the former president.

June 18, 2024

The New York Court of Appeals rejects Trump's attempt to appeal the limited gag order imposed on him by Judge Merchan, stating that their decision is "based on the ground that no significant constitutional question is directly involved."

June 25, 2024

Judge Merchan agrees to partially lift Trump's limited gag order, permitting him to discuss the jury and witnesses in the case without restriction.

July 1, 2024

In a significant decision in Trump's federal election interference case, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that the former president is entitled to presumptive immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts taken while in office, prompting Trump's lawyers to ask Judge Merchan to dismiss his hush money conviction on the grounds that the jury saw evidence that should have been protected by presidential immunity.

July 2, 2024

Judge Merchan delays Trump's July 11 sentencing to Sept. 18 so he can consider Trump's request to overturn his conviction based on the Supreme Court's immunity ruling.

The judge gives Trump's lawyers until July 10 to submit legal documents and the DA's office until July 24 to respond, and says he will rule on Trump's motion to set aside his conviction on Sept. 6.

July 11, 2024

In a 52-page legal filing, Trump asks Judge Merchan to void his hush money conviction on the grounds that the trial was "tainted" by evidence and testimony that the Supreme Court's landmark ruling on presidential immunity now makes inadmissible.

July 25, 2024

In a court filing, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg asks Judge Merchan to deny Trump's request to have his conviction overturned based on the Supreme Court's immunity ruling, arguing that "the evidence that he claims is affected by the Supreme Court's ruling constitutes only a small portion of the overwhelming testimony and documentary proof that the jury considered in finding him guilty."

Aug. 1, 2024

In a court filing, Trump renews his long-shot attempt to have Judge Merchan removed from the case due to a perceived conflict between the judge's daughter and Vice President Kamala Harris. This filing comes on the same day that a New York appeals court rejects Trump's bid to lift the limited gag order imposed on him.

Aug. 2, 2024

In a court filing, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg urges Judge Merchan to reject Trump's third request to be removed from the case.

Aug. 5, 2024

The U.S. Supreme Court dismisses an effort by the Republican attorney general of Missouri to delay Trump's sentencing in the case.