Michael Cohen testified about his role as Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, detailing how his former boss instructed him to make a hush-money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to keep her story of an alleged affair from becoming public.
On the witness stand, Cohen remained calm and straightforward, sticking closely to the prosecution's questions and keeping his composure during cross-examination, though he occasionally responded defensively about his integrity. He respectfully addressed both lawyers as “ma’am” or “sir.” Cohen confessed to assisting in the cover-up and lying about it, while Trump denies any cover-up, asserting that the payment to Cohen was for legitimate legal services. Facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, Trump has pleaded not guilty and denies any affair. During Cohen’s testimony, Trump often looked away or fidgeted with papers.
Cohen, a convicted felon and outspoken critic of Trump on social media, is seen as a flawed but essential witness. He testified for two days and will continue answering questions from Trump’s legal team on Thursday.
Key points from Cohen’s testimony include:
- Trump’s lawyers sought to discredit Cohen, portraying him as a disgruntled former devotee turned opportunist. Cohen admitted he was deeply involved in Trump’s world, describing himself as “knee-deep into the cult of Donald Trump.”
- Defense attorney Todd Blanche challenged Cohen’s motivations, suggesting he was driven by fame and media attention. Cohen acknowledged having multiple motivations and frequently appearing in the media to discuss Trump.
- The defense also insinuated that Cohen cooperated with prosecutors to reduce his prison sentence. Cohen admitted he wanted to be released from prison.
- Blanche referenced Cohen’s past derogatory descriptions of Trump and questioned his financial gains from books and merchandise related to Trump, including items depicting Trump in an orange jumpsuit or with slogans like “Convict 45.”
Cohen described a plan involving himself, Trump, and tabloid publisher David Pecker to suppress damaging stories about Trump during the 2016 election. He paid $130,000 to Daniels to prevent her story from emerging and potentially harming Trump’s presidential campaign. Cohen said Trump instructed him to delay negotiations with Daniels until after the election.
To distance the payment from Trump and his campaign, Cohen established an LLC and altered names on the nondisclosure agreement. He testified that Trump directed him to make hush-money payments and closely oversaw his campaign and business. The prosecution played a secret recording of Cohen discussing payment with Trump, who suggested paying in cash.
Cohen also testified about a 2017 Oval Office meeting where Trump offered to reimburse him for the Daniels payment. Cohen received $420,000 in monthly installments, which he falsely documented as legitimate invoices. He admitted to lying about the purpose of these payments and about the nature of his work for Trump in 2017.
Cohen recounted lying to protect Trump to various authorities and the press, continuing even after an FBI raid in April 2018. Following the raid, Trump assured Cohen everything would be fine, praising his loyalty publicly.
Cohen’s breaking point came in August 2018 when he pleaded guilty to multiple criminal charges. He testified that he could no longer lie for Trump, influenced by his family’s concerns. He expressed regret for his actions on Trump’s behalf, admitting to lying and bullying to achieve Trump’s goals.