Day 8 of Trump New York hush money trial

After a series of questions about Trump's interest in the casting of "Celebrity Apprentice," prosecutors object. Lawyers are at the bench.

Necheles next brought up Graff's mention of seeing Stormy Daniels at Trump Tower.

Trump's attorney went into a line of questioning about how Trump was very involved in finding contestants for the "Celebrity Apprentice," confirming with Graff that Trump looked for "colorful" or "interesting" candidates to cast.

"He would vocalize" sometimes people Trump was interested in having as "Apprentice" contestants to members of his staff, she said.

Trump is smiling and watching Graff speak as his attorneys begin to ask questions of his former longtime assistant.

"I never had the same day twice in all that time," Graff says, as she describes her time at the Trump organization. "It was a very stimulating, exciting, fascinating place to be."

Asked if Trump respected her intelligence, Graff says she wouldn't have worked there for 34 years if he didn't. Trump laughed at the comment.

Asked if Trump was a good boss, Graff says, "I think that he was fair, and, what’s the word I’m looking for, respectful boss to me."

"Sometimes he would peek his head in and say, 'Go home to your family,' which I thought was very thoughtful of him," Graff testifies.

Graff says Trump invited her to the inauguration and she got to sit up close. She says it was a "unique" experience to sit on the platform with her husband.

She testified that "The Apprentice" elevated Trump to "rock star status."

The prosecutor has wrapped her direct examination of Graff.

Trump attorney Susan Necheles is now beginning her cross examination.

Hoffinger shows calendar entries for Trump from January 16 to January 19, 2017, from the Trump Organization appointment calendar, including an entry for a "teleprompter practice session" on the 25th floor of Trump Tower on January 16, 2017.

Another entry shows Trump had an appointment with Ainsley Earhardt from Fox and Friends on January 17, 2017.

On the same day, he also had an appointment for a photo shoot for Mike Allen for the Washington Post.

Graff confirms that the entries show Trump was working at Trump Tower at that time.

According to the calendar, Trump was expected to be wheels up from LaGuardia Airport to Reagan National Airport on January 19, 2017, the day before the inauguration.

Former President Donald Trump on Friday continued to falsely claim he cannot “comment on” or “answer questions” about his New York criminal hush money trial as he railed against the gag order from Judge Juan Merchan. 

Speaking in the third person, Trump posted on Truth Social, “45th President Donald J. Trump is again the Republican Nominee for President of the United States, and is currently dominating in the Polls. However, he is being inundated by the Media with questions because of this Rigged Biden Trial, which President Trump is not allowed to comment on, or answer, because of Judge Juan Merchan’s UNPRECEDENTED AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL Gag Order.”

Merchan has scheduled another hearing on the gag order for next Thursday.

Graff recalls seeing Stormy Daniels in the reception area at Trump Tower before Trump ran for president.

Graff confirms that two contacts she maintained at the Trump Organization were for Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels.

Partially redacted exhibits in court show a contact entry in the organization's system for Karen McDougal, with a phone number, email address and two addresses.

Graff confirms she believes she created the contact for Trump.

The next contact Hoffinger shows in the Trump Org system is listed as "Stormy." It just lists a cell phone number.

Graff confirms that the Stormy contact was Stormy Daniels.

Prosecutors have called Rhona Graff, Donald Trump's former longtime assistant, to the witness stand.

Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker in his testimony Tuesday described sitting in Trump's office Graff walked in and gave him invoices and checks to sign.

CNN previously reported in 2022 that Graff was subpoenaed as part of the separate New York attorney general's investigation into the Trump Organization’s finances.

CNN analyst Gloria Borger said that Graff was very close to Trump.

Graff can also reveal how the Trump organization worked, Borger said, and even provide a glimpse into Trump's life and speak on the relationships between Trump and his children.

Assistants also make powerful witnesses because they can see who is coming in out of the office.

Prosecutors asked Graff to verify several exhibits that are emails she exchanged with Madeleine Westerhout, who worked in the Trump White House.

As we get into the minutiae of emails sent between Trump's White House and Trump Organization assistants, Trump has sat back in his chair and closed his eyes again.

Some background: Graff trained Westerhout for her role. She sat outside the Oval Office and observed almost every coming and going over more than two and a half years.