Which witnesses and cooperating witnesses have testified against Trump in the federal and state prosecutions?
Executive summary
A mix of former aides, media executives, lawyers and potential grand-jury witnesses have either testified against Donald Trump or are reported to be cooperating with prosecutors across his separate federal and state prosecutions; the clearest, public testimony so far has come in the New York “hush‑money” trial (including Michael Cohen and David Pecker) and reporting indicates cooperation or grand‑jury testimony from figures such as Mark Meadows and Sidney Powell in other matters [1] [2] [3]. Reporting also stresses that prosecutors have identified dozens of potential witnesses in other indictments — for example, 84 in the classified‑documents probe — even where many names remain uncalled or unproven as cooperating witnesses [4] [5].
1. The New York hush‑money trial: named witnesses who testified
The New York state criminal case produced the single most concrete, public roster: prosecutors called a mix of firsthand participants and fact witnesses across 16 days, with the press compiling a 22‑witness list that included star witness Michael Cohen, National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, and other Trump Organization and AMI figures whose testimony the prosecution used to link reimbursements and suppression of stories to the alleged scheme [1] [2]. Cohen testified he organized and paid the $130,000 to Stormy Daniels and said Trump approved the scheme and the false bookkeeping entries, while Pecker testified about payments to suppress stories and coordination with Trump’s team [2]. Court reporting and trial trackers list dozens more named and unnamed fact witnesses used by prosecutors and addressed by the defense during cross‑examination [1] [6].
2. Cooperators and plea deals tied to the Georgia and other state probes
Beyond Manhattan, reporting shows at least one high‑profile plea/cooperation in Georgia: attorney Sidney Powell pleaded guilty in the Georgia election racketeering prosecution and entered an agreement to testify against other defendants in future trials, making her an explicit cooperating witness in that state prosecution [3]. Local reporting and indictments in Fulton County and other related filings likewise identify multiple potential witnesses and co‑defendants whose post‑indictment cooperation remains an active piece of prosecutorial strategy, though specific testimony timelines and public transcripts vary by case [3].
3. Grand‑jury testimony and reported cooperation in federal probes
In federal investigations, press reporting has repeatedly signaled cooperation or grand‑jury appearances by senior Trump associates: multiple outlets reported that former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows has testified before a grand jury and is cooperating with prosecutors in election‑related matters, though reporting varied about whether he received formal immunity [3]. The classified‑documents probe likewise lists large numbers of potential witnesses — reporting notes prosecutors identified some 84 witnesses in that case alone and has flagged that Mar‑a‑Lago staff and aides were likely to be witnesses — but many of those names remain sealed or speculative in public filings [4] [5].
4. Who else is listed publicly or in trackers — limits of current reporting
Analysts and legal trackers (Just Security, Lawfare and others) have compiled long witness rosters across the many Trump matters — one legal roundup tallied “41 star witnesses and bit players” in the New York prosecution and other trackers catalogue identified witnesses in the classified‑documents and federal election cases — but those compilations mix witnesses who testified at trial, grand‑jury witnesses, potential witnesses identified in filings, and cooperating defendants whose status can evolve with plea negotiations [6] [7]. Media outlets caution that publicly reported identifications sometimes reflect subpoenas, witness lists or prosecutor submissions rather than actual sworn testimony, and grand‑jury secrecy and ongoing plea talks mean the roster can expand or contract [4] [5].
5. Bottom line and where reporting is incomplete
The clearest, publicly documented testimonies against Trump are concentrated in the New York hush‑money trial (Michael Cohen, David Pecker and the dozens of witnesses compiled by court reporters), while other prosecutions show explicit cooperation (Sidney Powell in Georgia) or reported grand‑jury testimony (Mark Meadows) but leave open many details about who has formally testified under oath and who remains a potential witness; prosecutors have also identified very large witness pools in the federal cases, some of which remain sealed or uncalled in public hearings [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]. Where reporting does not specify sworn testimony, this account does not assert it — the public record remains fragmented and evolving across multiple jurisdictions [6] [7].