Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City, where he is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges.
Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
'She's really beautiful,' Cohen says Trump said of McDougal
Michael Cohen said he contacted Trump "Immediately after I got off the phone with AMI" about former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal shopping her story that she had a year-long affair with Trump, which he denied.
"Hey boss, I got to talk to you," Cohen recounted telling Trump. "I told him about what I had just learned. I asked him if he knew who Karen McDougal was, knows anything about the story."
"His response was, 'She's really beautiful.' I said, OK, but right now there's a story that's being shopped."
According to Cohen, Trump directed him to "make sure it doesn't get released."
May 13, 2024, 10:41 AM EDT
Cohen recounts effort to kill doorman story
Michael Cohen told jurors that he kept Donald Trump in the loop about his effort to kill a false story about Trump having a child out of wedlock, which was shopped by former Trump doorman Dino Sajudin.
"I provided him with all the information," Cohen said about his conversation with Trump.
"He told me to make sure that the story does not get out. You handle it," Trump said according to Cohen. "He asked me to speak to [the two employees] and let them know it was taken care of."
Pecker said he worked with David Pecker and Dylan Howard of the National Enquirer, who purchased the life rights to the story.
"Did you tell them that Mr Trump would be grateful?" Hoffinger asked.
"Absolutely," Cohen said.
Former President Donald Trump sits at the defendant's table before his criminal trial at New York State Supreme Court in New York, May 13, 2024.
Sarah Yenesel/Pool via Reuters
Cohen said he offered feedback on AMI's contract with Sajudin, suggesting they add a $1 million penalty if Sajudin breached the contract.
When Cohen first became aware of Sajudin's claim, Cohen said, "I went to [Trump] immediately to advise him that there was a story -- because it was a negative story for him -- and to get his direction on what he wanted me to do."
Cohen said he shared the news of Sajudin's contract with Trump to keep him in the loop and "in order to get credit for accomplishing the task."
"What was Mr. Trump's reaction when you told him that?" Hoffinger asked.
"That's great," Cohen said Trump responded.
May 13, 2024, 10:36 AM EDT
Cohen says he worked with Enquirer to boost Trump
Cohen said National Enquirer parest AMI would send him advanced covers of upcoming editions of the National Enquirer, which frequently showed negative stories about Trump's political foes -- including Hillary Clinton.
Asked what he would do with those copies, Cohen said he "immediately showed it to Mr. Trump."
"Why?" prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked.
"So he knew that David was loyal, on board ... doing everything he said he was going to do in that August meeting," Cohen said. Cohen said Trump's reaction would typically be akin to: "Fantastic."
The jury saw an email exchange regarding Cohen personally editing a story about Trump that was going to be in the National Enquirer. It was billed as an exclusive: "The Trump that Nobody Knows."
"Is this an example of your working with AMI to get stories out that would benefit the Trump campaign?" Hoffinger asled.
"It is an example," Cohen replied.
May 13, 2024, 10:32 AM EDT
Cohen testifies about Trump Tower meeting
Before Trump announced his bid for the presidency, Michael Cohen recalled Trump warning him about stories that might emerge about his past interactions with various women.
"You know that when this comes out, meaning the announcement, just be prepared there's going to be a lot of women coming forward," Cohen recalled Trump saying.
Cohen recounted the August 2015 Trump Tower meeting where then-National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, Trump and Cohen agreed to the basics of a catch-and-kill scheme.
"What was discussed is the power of the National Enquirer in terms of being located at the cash register of so many supermarkets and bodegas. That if we can place positive stories about Mr. Trump that would be beneficial, and if we could place negative stories about some of the other candidates, that would also be beneficial," Cohen said.
"What he said was that he could keep an eye out for anything negative about Mr. Trump and that he would be able to help us know in advance what was coming out and try to stop it from coming out," Cohen said of Pecker, echoing Pecker's testimony from three weeks ago.
