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.
Cohen details efforts to delay Stormy Daniels payment
Donald Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen testified that as Stormy Daniels' layer Keith Davidson pushed him to make good on the $130,000 hush payment to Stormy Daniels, he sought to "continue to delay, delay the execution of the documents, delay execution of funding."
The jury saw an email exchange in which "I used the holiday, Yom Kipur, as a way of once again of trying to delay it until after the election," Cohen said.
"And the reason for that?" asked prosecutor Susan Hoffinger.
"Because after the election it wouldn't matter," Cohen said.
"According to who?" Hoffinger asked.
"According to Mr. Trump," Cohen said.
Trump’s eyes appeared to be closed again as the questioning continued.
Cohen returns to the stand following lunch break
With the lunch break over, Michael Cohen has returned to the witness stand to resume his direct examination.
He did not look at Trump when he returned to the courtroom following the break.
Trump demanded he push Daniels story 'past election,' Cohen says
Michael Cohen said that he asked Trump about how Trump's wife Melania might respond to the Stormy Daniels story.
"How's things going to go upstairs?" Cohen said he asked Trump.
According to Cohen, Trump responded, "How long do you think I'll be on the market for? Not long."
According to Cohen, Trump's main concern was the campaign.
"This was all about the campaign," Cohen said.
"I want you to push it out as long as you can," Cohen said Trump told him about the Daniels story. "Push it out past the election, because if I win, it has no relevance, and if I lose I don't really care."
It was "about delaying the deal and trying to push it past the election, which was coming," Cohen testified.
Trump, during this testimony, was leaning back in his chair angled slightly toward Cohen.
Court was subsequently dismissed for the lunch break.
Cohen stepped off the witness stand and looked away from the defense counsel table as he passed Trump.
Trump then exited the courtroom for the break.
'Get control over this,' Trump allegedly said about Daniels story
Michael Cohen said that Donald Trump responded angrily when Cohen shared that Stormy Daniels was shopping her allegations in 2016.
"He was really angry with me," Cohen said, who said Trump told him, "I thought you had this under control. I thought you took care of this.
"He said this is a disaster, total disaster. Women are going to hate me," Trump said according to Cohen. "Guys may think this is cool, but this is going to be a disaster for the campaign."
"At the time, Mr. Trump was ... polling very poorly with women, and this coupled with the previous 'Access Hollywood' -- he just stated, 'This is a disaster, get control of the women,'" Cohen testified.
Cohen said that Trump directed him to purchase Daniels' story.
"He told me to work with David [Pecker] and get control over this -- purchase the life rights. We need to stop this from getting out," Cohen said.
Cohen added that Trump requested he delay the payment until after the election to avoid paying it outright.
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.