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.
Top headlines:
- No decision yet about Trump testifying
- Defense argues Cohen's lack of retainer agreement was not an issue
- Defense accuses Cohen of lying about Trump phone call
- Defense challenges Cohen on past perjury
- Cohen says Trump approved payment of $420K, paid monthly
- Jury hears secret recording of Trump discussing payment
What to know about the hush money case
READ MORE: Here's what you need to know about the historic case.
Defense stresses Daniels' hush payment was 'perfectly legal'
Defense attorney Todd Blanche turned the cross-examination to the topic of Stormy Daniels' $130,000 hush payment.
Jurors were shown the nondisclosure contract between Daniels and Trump.
“In your mind, then and now, this is a perfectly legal contract, correct?” Blanche asked Michael Cohen, hammering at a key defense argument that the agreement was fully legal.
“Yes sir,” Cohen responded.
Under questioning, Cohen conceded that he told the Manhattan district attorney's office that before he paid Stormy Daniels her hush money, he thought Daniels was "exploiting Mr. Trump."
"In your mind, there was either two choices: Pay, or don't pay and the story comes out?" Blanche asked COhen.
Cohen affirmed his thinking.
"But you went a long time without paying?" Blanche asked.
"Yes, we went several weeks without paying," said Cohen.
"Ultimately, though, you did. You paid," Blanche said.
Defense presses Cohen on recording of Trump conversation
Defense attorney Todd Blanche questioned Michael Cohen about his secretly made recording of the September 2016 conversation between him and Trump. Cohen testified earlier that be believed the recording ended abruptly because he got a phone call.
Blanche asked Cohen what Trump meant, on the recording, when he told Cohen to use "cash" to repay David Pecker for the Karen McDougal catch-and-kill agreement, suggesting that Trump was talking about not using financing, rather than going "down to the bank with bags full of cash."
"That's not what he was talking about, was he?" Blanche said.
Following up, Blanche asked, "You're recording him but the phone rings and you just answered that call?"
"I did," Cohen said, adding that he remembers being the victim of identity theft.
"When you hung up with the bank you were still talking to President Trump?" Blanche asked.
"For a few seconds," said Cohen. He said did not restart the recording.
Trump, angled toward the witness stand to get a better view of Cohen, appeared attentive during this questioning.
Trump team attempts to cast doubt on Karen McDougal call
Defense attorney Todd Blanche pressed Michael Cohen on the hush money payment made to Playboy model Karen McDougal, whose story Cohen said he thought could be damaging to the Trump campaign.
"President Trump at least initially didn't think it would hurt him?" Blanche asked.
"Initially yes," Cohen said.
Blanche attempted to cast doubt on how Cohen could remember a specific phone call with Trump about McDougal in June 2016 when he was getting a hundreds of calls a week at the time.
Cohen agreed with the defense that he gets 14,000 phone calls a year.
"So when you testified Monday and Tuesday about specific conversations you had with Mr. Howard, with President Trump, you were not testifying about a specific recollection of that phone call?" Blanche asked.
"I was," Cohen said. "Because these phone calls are things I've been talking about for the last six years. They are, and they, were all-consuming."
Defense challenges Cohen on doorman's hush payment
Defense attorney Todd Blanche turned his attention to the origins of the catch-and-kill arrangement with National Enquirer publisher David Pecker. He asked Michael Cohen about his past testimony regarding the August 2015 Trump Tower meeting with Trump and Pecker where prosecutors say the conspiracy was formed.
Cohen earlier testified that the meeting was important because the "power of the National Enquirer is its placements in supermarkets."
"Had you ever told anyone that before your testimony this week?" Blanche asked.
"Not that I recall," Cohen said.
Blanche asked about Dino Saludjin, the doorman who was paid off after falsely claiming that Trump had a love child.
"The story was false, correct?" Blanche asked.
"I believe so yes," Cohen responded.
"Do you have any doubt in your mind it was false?" Blanche asked.
"No sir," Cohen said.
Blanche Cohen asked if Trump "was worried about the story getting out because of his employees?" appearing to challenge Cohen's testimony about why hush money was paid.
"He mentioned that I should speak to them as well," Cohen said.
Defense presses Cohen on representing Trump to the media
Defense attorney Todd Blanche pressed Cohen on how he represented Trump to the media during Trump's 2016 campaign.
"You never reached back out to a reporter, ever, without first checking with President Trump?" Blanche asked.
"It was my routine to always advise Mr. Trump," Cohen said. If he didn't, he said "it would mean the end of my job."
An incredulous Blanche asked, "You did that never on your own?"
"Only in consultation with President Trump?" Cohen responded. "If I did that and he didn't like the response, it would probably cost me my job"
Cohen, however, acknowledged that Trump's campaign grew frustrated with his comments to the media.
"I knew that they were upset about it; however, Mr. Trump had turned around and advised them that I don't answer to them," Cohen said.
Cohen added that his comments to the media were aligned with Trump's thoughts on an issue.
"I would always get comments or something in line with a conversation we had on that specific topic," Cohen said. "Again, if I did that and he didn't like the response, it would probably cost me my job."