![Donald Trump speaks to reporters on Tuesday.](https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-2152898873.jpg?w=1024)
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Photographs
UPDATED: Donald Trump’s lawyer within the former president’s hush cash trial went straight on the prosecution’s star witness, Michael Cohen, kicking off a profanity-laced cross examination.
To begin off, Todd Blanche launched himself to Cohen, saying that though they’d by no means met “you went on TikTok and referred to as me a crying little s—t” after the trial began.
“Seems like one thing I’d say,” Cohen deadpanned earlier than a prosecutor might end objecting to the query.
So it went for a lot of the subsequent two hours in a Manhattan courtroom: Blanche confronting Cohen with insults he’s lobbed primarily at Trump on his podcasts and social media, together with a TikTok account he signed up for about six weeks in the past to live-stream chats, and Cohen permitting that he had in all probability mentioned these issues.
“Dictator d—bag,” “boorish cartoon misogynist” and “Cheetoh-dusted cartoon villain” have been a couple of of the slurs that Cohen admitted to.
Blanche additionally quoted Cohen saying on TikTok in late April — per week into the trial — that he hoped Trump “goes proper into that little cage the place he belongs, like a f—ing animal.”
It was a far cry from the reward Cohen heaped on his former boss in happier occasions, earlier than the so-called Trump ‘fixer” went to jail on federal costs together with marketing campaign finance violations tied to the $130,000 hush cash cost to grownup entertainer Stormy Daniels. That cost is also on the coronary heart of the Manhattan District Lawyer’s case.
Blanche, in a much less fractious alternate, reminded Cohen that he had beforehand referred to as Trump “a great man,” somebody “who cares deeply about this nation,” “tells it straight,” “speaks from the guts,” needs “to make this nation nice once more,” and has flawless reminiscence.
“At the moment I used to be knee-deep into the cult of Donald Trump, sure,” Cohen replied.
Blanche’s questioning steered that his change of coronary heart was additionally motivated by a want to actual revenge on the previous president and shorten his jail sentence by cooperating with federal and New York investigations of Trump.
Blanche additionally obtained Cohen to confess that he was lower than utterly forthcoming in an August 2018 assembly with the workplace of Particular Counsel Robert Mueller, who was investigating Russian interference within the 2016 election. Earlier on the stand at this time, Cohen had admitted to a prosecutor that he withheld particulars from Mueller’s workforce a few Trump enterprise enterprise in Moscow “as a result of I used to be nonetheless holding on to the loyalty.”
Questioned by Blanche, Cohen mentioned he additionally supplied “solutions that I knew have been misleading” on one other matter of curiosity to Mueller as a result of he nonetheless felt protecting of then-President Trump. He was, at that time, nonetheless a number of days away from pleading responsible in a federal probe of his taxes and marketing campaign contributions.
Blanche questioned Cohen’s recall on issues nice and small, from the variety of anti-Trump merchandise gadgets he hawked on his podcasts, to his obvious lack of reminiscence about who informed CNN that he had turned over two of his cellphones to the Manhattan District Lawyer. Blanche famous that Cohen had detailed recollections of telephone calls with Trump from 2016 — calls that figured prominently in his direct testimony — however seemingly couldn’t do not forget that in March of 2023 he had promised the D.A’.s workplace he would cease happening tv to speak about being a cooperating witness.
“Is that your testimony?” Blanche requested, sounding incredulous.
Throughout breaks attributable to repeated objections and lawyer conferences in entrance of Decide Juan Merchan, Cohen tugged at his swimsuit jacket and exhaled in an exaggerated means as he waited for the cross-examination to restart.
Cohen mentioned that he made round $3.5 million on a pair of books, Disloyal and Revenge, that discuss at size about Trump. He additionally admitted that he talks about Trump on almost each episode of his podcasts, Mea Culpa and Political Beatdown. Blanche additionally ventured some psychoanalysis, telling Cohen, “You have been truly a bit of bit obsessed.”
Blanche mentioned that even earlier than Cohen went to work for Trump he admired him, and noticed one thing of himself within the “formidable” and “tenacious” actual property dealmaker and actuality TV star.
Cohen didn’t disagree, and added “modern” to the checklist of adjectives he would have utilized to Trump and himself.
Blanche steered that Cohen’s reinvention as a outstanding Trump hater fulfills the identical wants he had as Trump’s self-described “fixer” — for cash, affect and a spotlight. He requested Cohen if he liked happening tv as a Trump marketing campaign surrogate. Cohen mentioned he did.
“Do you adore it now?” Blanche requested. “Sure, however much less,” Cohen replied.
The trial resumes on Thursday.
PREVIOUSLY: Michael Cohen completed his direct testimony this afternoon within the hush cash trial of Donald Trump with an expression of regret.
“I remorse doing issues for him I mustn’t have — mendacity, bullying individuals to be able to effectuate a objective,” Cohen mentioned. The former Trump lawyer added, “I don’t remorse working with The Trump Group,” the place he had “some very attention-grabbing and nice occasions.”
“However to maintain the loyalty and to do the factor that he had requested me to do,” Cohen continued, with the “he” referring to Trump, “I violated my ethical compass and I suffered the penalty, as has my household.”
Cohen will face questioning from Trump’s legal professionals when the trial resumes after lunch.
Earlier than then, Manhattan Assistant District Lawyer Susan Hoffinger walked Cohen by a sequence of questions that appeared designed to defuse probably factors of interrogation by the protection.
Cohen mentioned he didn’t deceive the choose who accepted his responsible plea in August of 2018 for federal tax evasion and a false assertion to a financial institution; he solely disputed the severity of the prosecution in opposition to him as a first-time offender, not the illegality of his actions.
Cohen mentioned he served greater than 13 months in a federal jail in upstate New York, together with time in solitary confinement, and the rest of his 36 month sentence beneath residence confinement. “I stay even at this time, nonetheless, on supervised launch,” he mentioned. He mentioned he paid greater than $1 million in again taxes and fines.
Legal professionals representing Trump in a civil case introduced by New York’s lawyer normal had questioned him on the stand about public statements he had made complaining about his therapy by the Justice Division.
“I used to be going to take accountability, as a result of the underlying components, I by no means disputed,” Cohen informed Hoffinger. He mentioned the difficulty was that federal prosecutors within the Southern District of New York — whose places of work are a few blocks away — threatened to additionally prosecute his spouse, who co-signed his falsified tax returns, if he didn’t comply with plead responsible inside 48 hours.
Cohen mentioned he has written a e book, referred to as Revenge, in regards to the case in opposition to him. He referred to as the e book “a forensic dissection of a corrupt prosecution” and a “weaponization of the Justice Division.”
Disbarred from working towards regulation, Cohen mentioned he has earned cash from Revenge and an earlier e book that he began writing in jail, the memoir Disloyal, each of which recount his dealings with Trump. He mentioned he additionally earns cash from two podcasts, one referred to as Mea Culpa, wherein he talks about Trump. He had on grownup entertainer Stormy Daniels as soon as as a visitor to “apologize” to her, he mentioned. He sells promoting and merchandise by the podcast, together with one merchandise aimed satirically at Trump.
Trump’s legal professionals have mentioned the Manhattan District Lawyer’s case is constructed on specious claims by two individuals, Cohen and Daniels, whose livelihoods now rely on being allied with the anti-Trump resistance.
Cohen mentioned the Mea Culpa podcast was the primary time that he and Daniels ever spoke. Cohen has already testified that he paid Daniels $130,000 in 2016 for Daniels’ silence a few declare of a sexual encounter with Trump by an association together with her lawyer, and that he did so on orders from Trump to “handle it.”
Prosecutors say Trump secretly, and illegally, reimbursed Cohen by disguising the reimbursement by falsified enterprise data as routine authorized work, in a bid to maintain a narrative of an extramarital affair with a porn star from derailing Trump’s White Home marketing campaign.
Earlier, Cohen and Hoffinger went month by month by the invoices, signed checks and pay stubs overlaying the $420,000 that Cohen acquired from Trump in 2017. The month-to-month invoices Cohen emailed to Weisselberg at Trump Tower learn, “Pursuant to the retainer settlement, kindly remit cost for providers rendered for the month of … “
“Was this bill a false file?” Hoffinger requested, a variation on a query she would repeat a number of extra occasions. “Sure, ma’am,” Cohen replied.
Cohen testified that there was, the truth is, no retainer and there have been no providers rendered. The month-to-month funds of $35,000 have been “the reimbursement to me of the hush-money price” to Stormy Daniels together with a bonus and one other expense, Cohen mentioned.
Wanting on the pay stubs, which listed “RETAINER.” Hoffinger requested, “Have been the descriptions right here on this test stub false?” Cohen mentioned they have been.
“And whose signature is on the test?” Hoffinger requested.
“Donald J. Trump,” Cohen replied.
They repeated the drill till they reached the final test in December.
Cohen mentioned from that day ahead he by no means acquired, or billed, one other greenback from Trump, The Trump Group or the belief established after Trump’s election to handle his holdings. However his involvement with Trump continued.
As “counsel to the president,” the title he inherited after leaving The Trump Group following the election, he made upwards of $5 million in consulting for individuals wanting entry to the White Home, and did some unpaid authorized work for Trump on a handful of issues, he mentioned.
He additionally labored with Eric Trump, the president’s oldest son, and one other lawyer to get a restraining order in California in opposition to Daniels after they discovered she was making ready to interrupt her non-disclosure settlement and discuss publicly about her alleged liaison with Trump. After Daniels and her new lawyer, Michael Avenatti, sued Trump to get out of the NDA, Cohen mentioned that then-President Trump agreed to launch Daniels from the settlement as soon as he discovered that he “could be required to take a seat for a deposition.”
At that time, “The settlement was terminated,” Cohen testified. Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche instantly objected. A bench convention with the legal professionals and Decide Juan Merchan adopted, and the choose then ordered Cohen’s final comment stricken from the file, and informed jurors “to not contemplate that response.”
PREVIOUSLY: Michael Cohen took the stand for the second day in Donald Trump’s hush cash trial, and recounted an Oval Workplace assembly with the then-president in April 2018.
On the time, Cohen’s residence had been raided by the FBI, setting off a media firestorm.
Of their Oval Workplace assembly, Cohen mentioned that Trump informed him, “Don’t fear. I’m president of america. There’s nothing right here. All the things is gonna be OK. Keep powerful. You’re gonna be OK.”
That was the final time that he and Trump spoke instantly, Cohen mentioned. They have been each current within the courtroom at this time, for the primary time since Cohen testified in Trump’s civil fraud trial final 12 months.
“I felt reassured” by the decision, Cohen mentioned, “as a result of I had the president of america to guard me. His Justice Division ought to go nowhere. So I felt reassured and I remained … within the Trump camp.”
Cohen mentioned his solely communications with Trump from that time ahead have been by surrogates who strengthened the then-president’s message. Cohen didn’t identify the intermediaries however summarized their message: “You’re liked. Don’t fear. He’s obtained your again. Strongest man within the nation. if not the world. You’re going to be okay.”
And when The New York Occasions reported on April 21, 2018, that Cohen may cooperate with federal investigators, Trump issued a string of tweets criticizing the story and the lead reporter, and praising Cohen as “a advantageous particular person with a beautiful household … who I’ve at all times preferred & revered.”
“Most individuals will flip if the Authorities lets them out of bother, even when it means mendacity or making up tales,” Trump’s tweets continued. “Sorry, I don’t see Michael doing that regardless of the horrible Witch Hunt and the dishonest media!”
Cohen mentioned the message he acquired from these tweets was, “Keep within the fold. Keep loyal. I’ve you. You’re a advantageous particular person. Don’t flip.”
On the time, Cohen mentioned, The Trump Group was paying Cohen’s authorized charges and he had entered right into a so-called “joint protection settlement” with President Trump, at first to deal with a criticism that Cohen acquired from the Federal Election Fee relating to his $130,000 cost to Stormy Daniels.
Cohen continues to be on the stand for the prosecution, however he might face cross examination later at this time.
PREVIOUSLY: Michael Cohen returns to the witness stand this morning within the New York hush cash trial of Donald Trump with a rugged cross-examination looming.
The disbarred lawyer and convicted perjurer spent Monday testifying that his secret payoff to porn actor Stormy Daniels earlier than the 2016 election had buy-in at each stage from the Republican presidential candidate.
“When he would activity you with one thing,” Cohen testified, “he would then say, ‘Preserve me knowledgeable. Let me know what’s happening.’ Particularly if it was a matter that was troubling to him.”
Cohen’s credibility as a key prosecution witness will face a trial of its personal when the protection’s flip to query him arrives. Trump’s attorneys have already portrayed Cohen — a self-styled fixer and authorized assault canine who addressed Trump as “Boss” — as a liar and opportunist.
Trump repaid Cohen in 2017 with month-to-month checks falsely logged as revenue for ongoing authorized work, the Manhattan District Lawyer charged in its 34-count indictment of the New York actual property magnate and former Superstar Apprentice star. Cohen mentioned on Monday that the reimbursement scheme was devised by The Trump Group’s chief monetary officer, Allen Weisselberg, and accepted by Trump in a gathering of the trio at Trump Tower in January 2017, days earlier than Trump’s presidential inauguration.
Cohen gave jurors a view of Trump’s enterprise, political and private lives as they converged in the course of the 2016 marketing campaign. It was spouse Melania Trump’s thought, Cohen mentioned, to elucidate away the damning Entry Hollywood tape as “locker room discuss” when it revealed Trump bragging that he might seize ladies by the genitals with out their consent.
Cohen’s testimony additionally drew different Trump workers together with Weisselberg and bodyguard Keith Schiller again into the prosecution’s narrative, elevating the query of whether or not they could be referred to as to testify. Weisselberg is serving a jail sentence at New York’s Rikers Island for perjuring himself within the New York Lawyer Common’s civil case in opposition to Trump for deceiving banks about his wealth. Final week Decide Juan Merchan urged prosecutors to attempt to put Weisselberg on the stand.
Schiller, who adopted Trump to the White Home, is a recurring determine in witness accounts. Checks despatched from Trump Tower for the president to signal within the Oval Workplace went by Schiller. Stormy Daniels testified that in 2006, when she had intercourse with the married Trump in a Lake Tahoe resort suite, Schiller stood guard exterior.
Cohen mentioned he knew that typically when he couldn’t attain Trump instantly, to name Schiller. All through Cohen’s testimony, the prosecution put up texts, name logs and emails for jurors to bolster Cohen’s timeline of conversations and occasions.
The jury additionally heard Cohen’s secret recording of a chat with Trump in 2016 a few payoff to comprise one other potential scandal: former Playboy mannequin Karen McDougal’s story of a long-running affair with Trump within the 2000s.
“So what can we obtained to pay for this? One fifty?” Trump mentioned on the recording. He and Cohen have been discussing a plan for David Pecker, CEO of the Trump-friendly periodical writer American Media, to pay McDougal $150,000 for unique rights to her story and bury it in a “catch and kill” association.
Why Cohen would file a consumer with out his data is a query more likely to be requested by the protection. Cohen informed Manhattan Assistant District Lawyer Susan Hoffinger that he did it to offer Pecker with proof that Trump would repay the cash being superior to McDougal. Cohen mentioned that because it turned out he by no means needed to share the audio, as a result of Pecker forgave the cash. However a possible violation of attorney-client privilege could possibly be ammunition for a protection workforce seeking to undermine Cohen’s believability.
Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 utilizing a house fairness mortgage and a shell firm to funnel the cash to her lawyer beneath a written settlement that Trump himself didn’t signal. Trump was referenced solely in a so-called “aspect settlement” to the NDA that recognized the events — Trump and Daniels — by their actual names, versus the pseudonyms chosen by Daniels’ lawyer, Keith Davidson, for the principle contract.
New York prosecutors — like their federal counterparts who secured a responsible plea from Cohen in 2018 — say the $130,000 was an unlawful and unreported marketing campaign contribution to Trump. The New York indictment holds that misdemeanor enterprise fraud turns into a felony when it’s dedicated to additional one other crime, on this case election interference.
Trump denies he had intercourse with Daniels, and contends that Cohen’s authorized charges after he now not labored for The Trump Group have been reputable. Exterior the courtroom on Monday afternoon — throughout one among his twice-daily monologues to courthouse hallway press — Trump mentioned the Federal Election Fee absolved him of any marketing campaign wrongdoing.
“You realize the FEC wrote this off,” Trump mentioned, including, “they took a move they mentioned there’s no downside right here.” He then turned, as he often does, to the subject of the “corrupt choose” who’s overseeing the trial and “maintaining me from campaigning.”
Trump surrogates together with eldest son Eric Trump — a daily in his father’s courtroom entourage — have additionally defended the non-disclosure settlement as an bizarre, accepted enterprise follow. “Each group, together with this one, would go down in flames if an NDA was unlawful,” Eric Trump mentioned Monday on Laura Ingraham’s Fox Information program.
Ted Johnson contributed to this report.