Donald Trump trial: Hush-money lawyer tells of shock over role in 2016 win

Witness Keith Davidson tells court he sent message asking: ‘What have we done?’

Former president Donald Trump returns to Manhattan criminal court after a break in his trial yesterday. Photo: AP

Michael R Sisak

A lawyer who negotiated a pair of hush-money deals at the centre of Donald Trump’s criminal trial yesterday recalled his “gallows humour” reaction to Mr Trump’s 2016 election victory and the realisation that his efforts might have contributed to the win.

“What have we done?” attorney Keith Davidson texted the then editor of the National Enquirer, which had buried stories of extramarital sexual encounters to prevent them surfacing in the final days of the bitterly contested presidential race. “Oh my God,” came the response from Dylan Howard.