Trump trial live updates: Drama sweeps courtroom as defense tries to get case tossed

"Good morning, Mr. Trump," Judge Juan Merchan said in his usual fashion after taking the bench.

The proceedings immediately began with a private sidebar between the parties and Merchan.

Donald Trump has entered the courtroom accompanied, like yesterday, by an entourage that includes several members of Congress.

Reps. Lauren Boebert and Matt Gaetz are among those seated in the front row of the gallery.

The group is so large that a few members are sitting at the back of the courtroom because the first two rows of the gallery do not have enough space.

Michael Cohen has arrived at the lower Manhattan courthouse for his testimony this morning.

Proceedings are scheduled to get underway at 9:30 a.m. ET.

Testimony is scheduled to conclude at 4 p.m., after which Judge Juan Merchan is scheduled to hear arguments from the parties about the bounds of potential testimony from a defense expert witness.

Michael Cohen returns to the witness stand this morning, where the former Trump attorney is expected to face a full day of cross-examination.

Cohen, under direct examination earlier this week, described in-person meetings and phone calls with Donald Trump, who he said joined into an agreement with tabloid publisher David Pecker to catch and kill negative stories ahead of the 2016 election; approved a $130,000 hush money payment from Cohen to Stormy Daniels; and signed off on an arrangement to reimburse Cohen in 2017 using what prosecutors say were falsified invoices. Trump has denied all wrongdoing.

Defense attorneys are expected to question Cohen's credibility based on his past testimony and previous statements he has made in interviews, podcast and books.