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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Jury hears Cohen slamming Trump on his podcast

Defense attorney Todd Blanche returned to questioning Michael Cohen about his Mea Culpa podcast. The jury heard an excerpt regarding Trump's indictment.

"I want to thank the Manhattan district attorneys office," Cohen said on the podcast.

"He is about to get a taste of what I went through. And I promise you, its not fun," it continued.

Jurors remained stone-faced as Cohen's excited and hyper-energized voiced came through the courtroom speakers.

"What an embarrassment it is to the office of the presidency," Cohen said in the recording, adding that the indictment "filled me with delight and sadness."

"I truly f------ hope that this man ends up in prison," Cohen said in another clip. "You better believe I want this man to go down and rot inside for what he did to me in my family."

Most of the jurors appeared to have no visible reaction to the audio. Cohen, too, remained calm on the stand, answering questions from Blanche about his own words.


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.


Cohen says he wanted to hide intent of shell company

Jurors saw the form that Michael Cohen used to create the account for Essential Consultants LLC, the shell company he used to pay Stormy Daniels the $130,000 per their nondisclosure agreement.

"MICHAEL COHEN IS OPENING ESSENTIAL CONSULTANTS LLC AS A REAL ESTATE CONSULTING COMPANY TO COLLECT FEES FOR INVESTMENT CONSULTING WORK HE DOES FOR REAL ESTATE DEALS," the form said.

Asked about the veracity of the form, Cohen responded, "It's false."

Cohen said he filled out the form that way "to hide the intent ... which is to pay for a nondisclosure agreement."

Cohen said had he been honest on the form, the account would not have been opened by First Republic Bank.

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger then walked Cohen through each of the documents used to create the shell company then wire $130,000 to an attorney-trust account for Stormy Daniels.

Cohen stated that wire transfer form he used for the payment was not truthful because it stated the purpose of the wire was a "retainer."

In reality, Cohen said, the wire was "in order to pay Stormy Daniels to execute the nondisclosure agreement and to attain the story -- her life rights."