In a surprising twist, Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former lawyer, revealed that Melania Trump, the former First Lady, played a role in shaping her husband’s response to the infamous Access Hollywood tape.
Cohen testified that Melania had suggested using the “locker room talk” excuse to downplay Trump’s lewd comments about women, which were caught on tape in 2005.
This revelation came as Cohen took the stand in Trump’s ongoing criminal trial in New York, where he is facing charges related to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Cohen recalled being on vacation in London when the Access Hollywood tape was leaked and how he had to scramble to contain the damage to Trump’s presidential campaign.
Ex-Lawyer Michael Cohen Says Melania Trump Helped Craft ‘Locker Room Talk’ Defense for Donald Trump
He emailed campaign manager Steve Bannon, asking who was handling damage control, and later spoke with Trump himself. According to Cohen, Trump wanted him to reach out to media contacts and spin the story as “locker room talk,” which Melania had suggested. This strategy aimed to minimize the impact on Trump’s campaign.
The mention of Melania’s involvement stands out, as she has yet to publicly comment on the scandals or appear in court to support her husband.
However, her influence on Trump’s actions has been gradually revealed through testimony from other witnesses, including a White House aide who said she had more control over Trump than previously known.
Melania’s role in facilitating a phone call between Cohen and Trump during the final weeks of the 2016 election was also highlighted, underscoring her behind-the-scenes involvement in managing the fallout from Trump’s scandals.
