Jurors heard opening statements Monday in Donald Trump's New York trial over alleged hush money payments to help his 2016 election campaign and hide potentially damaging information. The trial marks the start of the first criminal case against a former U.S. president. In opening statements, the prosecution alleged Trump engaged in "a criminal scheme to corrupt" the 2016 election. The defense countered by saying Trump didn't break any laws and that the payments were legal. Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker was the first witness called to the stand in the trial, in which Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. A guilty verdict wouldn't prevent Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, from becoming president again, but he couldn't pardon himself if he were found guilty, since it's a state case. PBS NewsHour's William Brangham reports from outside the New York City courthouse. #trump #trumphearing #politics #politicstiktok #newstiktok #news #williambrangham #davidpecker #trumptrial