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 suggests Cohen hasn't taken responsibility for lying
Focusing on Michael Cohen's 2018 guilty plea for lying to Congress in 2017, Blanche attempted to suggest that Cohen has not accepted responsibility for the crime and instead blames Trump.
"The reason why you lied was because of your loyalty to President Trump?" Blanche said.
"We crafted this document -- a two page document -- in order to stay on message we all knew Mr. Trump wanted, including Mr. Trump's attorney at the time," Cohen said.
"Are you saying you accept responsibility or blaming the joint defense agreement," Blanche asked.
"Accepting responsibility…" Cohen said.
Blanche continued to recount the many lies Cohen has acknowledged telling in the past, including in answering questions before the House Intelligence Committee and federal investigators.
Defense challenges Cohen on past perjury
Defense attorney Todd Blanche challenged Michael Cohen on his past lies during his sworn testimony.
Regarding Cohen's testimony before Congress in 2017, Blanche asked Cohen, "That's one of the times you have lied under oath?"
"That's correct," Cohen said.
Cohen told jurors that he has done at least 17 sworn interviews with federal agents.
"Each time you met with the federal agents, you were told that if you made a false statement that was a felony -- a federal crime?" Blanche asked.
"Yes sir," Cohen said.
Blanche hammered at the idea that Cohen knows the penalty for perjury, has testified under oath many times, and has lied before.
Defense presses Cohen on social post criticizing Trump
Defense attorney Todd Blanche, playing aloud portions of Michael Cohen's Mea Culpa podcast, told the jury that the second recording predated Trump's 2023 New York indictment, suggesting that Cohen's animosity for Trump has been consistent for years.
Continuing a similar tactic from Tuesday, Blanche then confronted Cohen with past statements about Trump on on social media.
"You called him 'Dumba-- Donald', is that correct?" Blanche asked.
"Sounds correct," Cohen said.
Blanche also asked Cohen to confirm that on April 21, 2024, he said on TikTok that he has "mental excitement over the fact that this trial was starting."
"Yes sir," Cohen said calmly, in contrast to his elevated tone the jury heard on his podcast audio.
Cohen confirmed that he made statements on social media about Trump despite knowing that a paralegal from the Manhattan district attorney's office was monitoring his posts.
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 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.