Former President Donald Trump appears in court for opening statements in his Manhattan hush-money trial.
Former President Donald Trump appears in court for opening statements in his Manhattan hush-money trial.
  • Opening statements began in Donald Trump's hush-money trial on Monday. 
  • Trump faces 34 felony counts for falsifying business records in the historic case.
  • "This case is about a criminal conspiracy and a coverup," ADA Matthew Colangelo said.

Opening arguments in Donald Trump's historic criminal trial got underway on Monday with a prosecutor describing the case as being about a "criminal conspiracy," while a defense attorney for the former president likened hush-money payments to "democracy."