The defense questioned Trump's former lawyer on Day 18 of the hush money trial.
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.
Jurors saw an October 2016 text message where National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard reintroduced Michael Cohen to Stormy Daniels' then-attorney Keith Davidson
"Connecting you both in regards to that business opportunity. Spoke to the client this AM and they're confirmed to proceed with the opportunity. Thanks. Dylan," Howard wrote.
"Over to you two," added Howard.
Michael Cohen recounted what he said was a 2011 conversation with Trump about the allegations from Stormy Daniels after TheDirty.com made a blog post about the relationship. Cohen successfully had the blog post taken down with the help of Daniels' then-attorney Keith Davidson.
"I asked him if he knew who she was. He told me he did," Cohen said of Trump.
Cohen said that Trump did not answer his question about the allegations.
"He turned around and said she was a beautiful woman," Cohen recounted.
Cohen said that Trump OK'd the 2011 effort to take down the blog post about the affair.
"Absolutely, do it. Take care of it," Trump responded, according to Cohen.
As Michael Cohen was attempting to do damage control for the "Access Hollywood" story on Oct. 8, 2016, National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard flagged to Cohen that adult film actress Stormy Daniels was shopping her allegations of a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump, which the former president has steadfastly denied.
Years earlier, Cohen worked with Daniels' attorney Keith Davidson to get a story taken down about the alleged affair.
Asked about the potential impact of Daniels' story, Cohen said it would have been "catastrophic."
"Horrible for the campaign," Cohen said.
Michael Cohen testified that he was in London in October 2016 when the news of the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape broke.
"Please call me," Cohen emailed Trump adviser Steve Bannon in October 2016.
"It's all over the place. Who is doing damage control here?" Cohen later emailed.
Cohen said he was trying to step in "in order to protect Mr. Trump.'
Jurors also saw phone records showing two calls between Trump and Cohen on Oct. 8, 2016.
"He wanted me to reach out to all of my contacts in the media who needed to put a spin on this," Cohen said. "The spin that he wanted to put out it was that this locker room talk -- something that Melania had recommended or at least he told me that's what Melania thought it was and use that in order to get control over the story and minimize its impact on him and his campaign."
Trump, again, shook his head no at the answer from the defense table.
Jurors then saw texts between Cohen and former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo.
"Will be too late ... he is dying right now," Cuomo texted Cohen.
Cohen explained that he believed, "That this is a tremendously negative story in regard to the Trump campaign ... this is going to be significantly impactful, especially with women voters."
