In a dramatic courtroom showdown, Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former lawyer, testified against his former boss, revealing Trump’s fears of multiple women coming forward with stories about him during his 2015 presidential campaign.
Cohen, a key witness in the “hush money” criminal trial, described Trump’s efforts to silence porn star Stormy Daniels and other women, allegedly using Cohen to make payments and cover up the encounters.
Cohen, who once proudly called himself Trump’s “spokesman, thug, pit bull, and lawless lawyer,” testified that Trump had instructed him to make a $130,000 payment to Daniels to keep her quiet about their alleged 2006 affair.
Michael Cohen Testifies Trump Believed Men Would View Stormy Daniels Affair as “Locker Room Talk”
Trump, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, denied ever having sex with Daniels. Cohen also revealed that Trump was more concerned about the political impact of the stories than his wife Melania’s opinion, telling him to “get control over it” and “push it out for as long as you can.”
The testimony painted a picture of Trump’s efforts to protect his reputation and presidential campaign at all costs, even if it meant using deceit and manipulation.
Cohen, who has pleaded guilty to federal crimes, including campaign finance violations, is cooperating with prosecutors in hopes of a reduced sentence. The trial continues, with Trump’s legal team likely to face a tough challenge in discrediting Cohen’s damaging testimony.
