In the ongoing New York criminal trial of former United States President Donald Trump, adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand on Thursday, completing her cross-examination by the defence team. Daniels's testimony regarding an alleged sexual encounter with Trump in 2006 has captivated jurors, providing a vivid backdrop to the trial which coincides with Trump's re-election campaign.

Trump's lawyer, Susan Necheles, focused her questioning on why Daniels accepted a $130,000 payment as part of Trump's hush money trial, instead of going public with her allegations. Necheles probed Daniels on why she did not hold a news conference in 2016, as originally planned, to reveal her alleged encounter with Trump. Daniels explained that she felt pressed for time and wanted to get her story out before it became too late.

The trial revolves around the alleged deal to buy Daniels's silence, which occurred during the final weeks of the 2016 presidential campaign. Prosecutors argue that Trump and his allies sought to bury potential damaging stories in order to influence the election results. Trump, the presumptive Republican Party presidential nominee for the upcoming election, vehemently denies any wrongdoing.

Daniels's testimony represents a significant moment in what could be the only criminal case against Trump to go to trial before voters cast their ballots. Trump currently faces a total of 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records concerning the hush-money payment made to silence Daniels.

During the cross-examination, Daniels reiterated that she never discussed the hush-money payment with Trump and had no knowledge of his involvement in the transaction. Trump's lawyer also questioned Daniels on her awareness of Trump's business records and past indictments, to which Daniels responded that she knew nothing about them.

Apart from Daniels, junior bookkeeper Rebecca Manochio and former Trump personal secretary and director of Oval Office Operations, Madeleine Westerhout, also testified on Thursday. Manochio provided insights into the handling of cheques sent to the White House for Trump's signature, while Westerhout shed light on the perspective of the White House regarding these payments.

Following the conclusion of witness testimonies for the day, Trump's defence team announced their intention to renew their motion for a mistrial, expressing concern regarding the potential bias created by Daniels's testimony. The defence previously sought a mistrial on Tuesday, claiming that Daniels had provided unnecessary and inflammatory details about her alleged sexual encounter with Trump, but the motion was dismissed by Judge Juan Merchan.

In response to the defence's motion, Judge Merchan emphasized the defence's responsibility to object to testimony they deemed inappropriate during the trial. He also stressed that specific details were crucial to establishing Daniels's credibility and allowing the jury to weigh the veracity of her story.

Trump's lawyers further sought to challenge Judge Merchan's gag order on Trump, arguing that if Daniels could speak about Trump from the witness stand, he should have the same right to speak about her. However, the request was denied by Judge Merchan, who cited the need to protect the integrity of the proceedings and prevent intimidation of future witnesses.

Throughout the trial, Trump has criticized both the case against him and Judge Merchan. He referred to the trial as a "Frankenstein case" and questioned the merits of the charges brought against him. Trump voiced his disappointment with Judge Merchan's refusal to declare a mistrial, describing it as a "disgrace."

The trial continues, with further developments and testimonies expected in the coming days as the defence presents its case and both sides await the jury's decision.