"Do you know someone named David Pecker?" prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked Michael Cohen.

"I knew David Pecker even before Mr. Trump," Cohen replied about the then-National Enquirer publisher. He said the two men would communicate by email or by Signal because "sometimes we thought encryption, not having the event traceable, would be beneficial."

Cohen said he "rarely" interacted with Pecker before 2015. He provided an example of trying to use Pecker to raise for Harlem for Hoops, a charity to which Trump donated.

Before 2015, Cohen testified that the National Enquirer did not purchase stories to kill on Trump's behalf.

He testified he was not aware of National Enquirer parent company AMI ever buying stories for Trump prior to the 2016 campaign -- feeding into prosecutors' narrative this was a campaign-related scheme.

"Prior to Mr. Trump announcing his run for the presidency, are you aware of AMI ever paying to suppress stories?" Hoffinger asked.
"No ma'am," Cohen said.

In an emotional moment, Michael Cohen gave a candid, glowing response when asked what it was like to work for the Trump Organization.

"It was fantastic," he said. "Working for him during those 10 years was an amazing experience in many, many ways. There were great times, there were several less-than-great times, but for the most part I enjoyed the responsibilities that were given to me. I enjoyed working with my colleagues at the Trump Organization, the Trump children. It was a big family."

Trump, at the defense table, remained motionless during Cohen's description. His eyes appear closed.

After speaking positively about his time with the Trump Organization, Cohen acknowledged that he often lied for Trump.

"Because it was needed to accomplish the task," Cohen said.

Michael Cohen testified that normally spoke with Trump in person or over the phone. Cohen said he sometimes contacted Trump though his executive assistant Rhona Graff, his "personal attache" Keith Schiller, or Trump's children.

Like earlier witnesses, Cohen testified that Trump did not use email.

"Mr. Trump never had an email address," Cohen said. "He would comment that emails are like written papers. He knows too many people who have gone down as a direct result ... of emails ... that prosecutors could use in a case."

"By 'gone down', you mean getting in some sort of trouble?" Cohen was asked.

"Yes ma'am," Cohen replied.

Trump, at the defense table, did not react to this questioning.

Cohen said that he frequently reported to Trump when handling sensitive matters.

"As soon as you had a result or answer, you would go straight back and tell him, especially if it was a matter that was troubling to him," Cohen said.

"If you didn't immediately provide him with the information ... that wouldn't go over well for you," Cohen added.

Prosecutors appear to be laying the groundwork for how closely Trump and Michael Cohen worked together. Cohen said his office was at one point "maybe 50 or 60 feet" away from Trump's.

Cohen also told the jury they spoke "every single day, multiple times per day."

Cohen is answering questions in the same animated fashion that he often displays on TV. Asked if he threatened companies and people with lawsuits on behalf of Trump, Cohen didn't miss a beat: "Yes," he said, his eyebrows raising. Occasionally, he glances over to the jury.

Trump, at the defense table, is sitting back in his chair with his head slightly tilted. He does not appear to be directly looking at Cohen.

Prosecutors introduced text messages between Michael Cohen and his daughter related to Cohen not being considered for Trump's chief of staff after Trump won the 2016 election.

"My daughter and I are very close -- we are very much connected and she was concerned that I was upset that I was not being considered for the role," Cohen said. "I explained to her that there are so many opportunities."

By December 2016, Cohen said, he was "beyond angry." His Trump Organization bonus had been cut by two-thirds.

"I was truly insulted, personally hurt. Didn't understand it," Cohen said of his feelings. "It made no sense, after all that I had gone through in terms of the campaign as well as things at the Trump Organization, and laying out $130,000 on his behalf to protect him."

"It was insulting that the gratitude shown back to me was to cut the bonus by two-thirds," Cohen said.

Cohen said he was "truly pissed off and angry," he recalled telling then-CFO Allen Weisselberg.

At that point, Cohen had not been paid back for the Daniels advance and expressed as much to Weisselberg.

"The best that you get for extending yourself as I did is to have your bonus cut by two-thirds?" Cohen recalled saying. He said Weisselberg responded by saying, "We'll make this right."

Trump, at the defense table, showed no reaction as Cohen recounted his emotional response to having his bonus cut.