Monday marked a historic day in Lower Manhattan as the criminal trial of former President Donald J. Trump officially began with opening statements. The 77-year-old, who is the presumptive Republican presidential nominee for the upcoming election, listened quietly as prosecutors laid out allegations of falsifying business records in an attempt to cover up a payment to porn star Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election. The defense argued that Trump was a simple man wrongly accused.

The jury, consisting of seven men and five women, was seated last week and will be responsible for deciding Trump's fate in a trial that could last up to six weeks. The prosecution's case is centered around the claim that Trump schemed to hide hush money payments to Daniels and another woman to cover up alleged extramarital affairs. Trump's former political fixer and personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, who is expected to be a key witness for the prosecution, claims he was reimbursed for the payments as legal expenses.

If convicted on all 34 felony charges, Trump could face probation or up to four years in prison. The stakes are high, with the prosecution painting a broader picture that touches on tabloid journalism, tawdry affairs, and covertly recorded phone calls. The defense will likely argue that the payments were made to avoid disclosure of personally compromising moments, not to influence the 2016 election.

This trial is just one of four criminal indictments that Trump is facing, encompassing a total of 88 charges. The hush money trial may be the only one to occur before the November election, with the other cases still pending trial dates. Trump's time on the campaign trail may be limited as he is required to be in court, potentially affecting his bid for the presidency once again. The trial is expected to be closely watched as a pivotal moment in American political history.