Trump trial: Cohen faces Trump team grilling over past lies, recollections

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.


What to know about the hush money case

READ MORE: Here's what you need to know about the historic case.


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Defense questions Cohen about Trump's indictment

Despite the text messages between Michael Cohen and and detective Jeremy Rosenberg not being admitted into evidence, Trump attorney Todd Blanche attempted to read them into the record through his questions to Cohen.

Blanche attempted to suggest that Rosenberg confirmed to Cohen that Trump had been indicted in the case last year, prior to DA announcing charges.

"Detective Rosenberg confirmed to you that the New York Times article was accurate and that President Trump had been indicted?" Blanche said, prompting an objection from prosecutors.

Cohen pushed back against the suggestion that Rosenberg confirmed the indictment of Trump before it was publicly announced.

"I asked him nice to find out," Cohen told jurors.


Defense seeks to admit texts between Cohen, detective

Trump attorney Todd Blanche resumed his cross-examination of Michael Cohen by asking Cohen about detective Jeremy Rosenberg, who took Cohen's phones from him for processing during the DA's investigation.

Cohen said he texted with Rosenberg on his personal and work phones.

Blanche was attempting to get some text messages between Cohen and Rosenberg into evidence. Prosecutors objected by arguing the texts are taken out of context. The parties went into a sidebar to hash it out.

Blanche suggested that Cohen, in the texts, told Rosenberg that he was "going to hold President Trump accountable."

Judge Merchan ultimately sustained the prosecution's objection to admitting the text messages into evidence.


Cohen retakes witness stand

"Let's get the witness please," Merchan said, and Michael Cohen entered the courtroom then took his seat at the witness stand.

Cohen carried a water bottle in his hand as he entered and did not look toward Trump when he passed defense counsel table.

Trump turned away from Cohen to his left and whispered to his attorney Emil Bove as Cohen passed. The former president then appeared to crane is neck to the right to get a look at Cohen as he retook the stand.

As Cohen took his place in the witness box, Judge Merchan reminded him that he is still under oath.


Long sidebar conference concludes

After speaking at the bench to Judge Merchan at a private sidebar for approximately 18 minutes, the lawyers returned to their seats.

At the defense table, attorney Todd Blanche leaned in to whisper to Trump.

"I think we are ready to get started," Judge Merchan said.


Cohen says he acted at Trump's direction

Michael Cohen testified that he understood Trump would eventually pay for the rights to Karen's McDougal's story, which AMI had purchased for $150,000.

"What I was doing, I was doing at the direction of, for the benefit of Mr. Trump," Cohen said.

But Cohen and AMI's David Pecker, in their testimony, offered slightly different accounts of why Trump ultimately did not reimburse AMI for the McDougal payment.

According to Cohen, Pecker said that McDougal's cover on Men's Health magazine prompted massive sales, making the McDougal agreement an "excellent business deal" for AMI.

"It was no longer necessary," Cohen said.

"He told me to rip it up, forget it," Cohen said about the deal.

According to Cohen, Trump responded to the news by saying, "Wow, that's great."

According to Pecker, when he told Cohen that the deal was off, Cohen was furious -- and said Trump would be as well.

"He was very, very, angry, very upset, screaming basically, at me. And I said, 'I am not going forward with this agreement -- rip it up,'" Pecker testified earlier in the trial. "Michael Cohen said, 'The boss is going to be very angry at you.'