Judge Juan Merchan restarted the proceedings after the mid-morning break. Before prosecutor Susan Hoffinger resumed her direct examination of Michael Cohen, Merchan instructed the jury that, in regards the secretly made recording the jury just heard, the recording itself is evidence in the case, not the transcript.

“It is the tape itself that is the evidence,” Merchan said, though he said the transcript will be accessible to the jury during deliberations.

Trump, back from the break, appears much more alert, sitting in his chair with his body angled directly toward Cohen as Cohen recounts more of the recording.

Twice, Trump shook his head "no" as Cohen spoke.

After Cohen's recording was played in court, prosecutor Susan Hoffinger is replayed sections and asked Cohen about what he said at the time.

"Who is 'our friend David?'" Hoffinger asked.

"He is referring to David Pecker," Cohen said.

Asked about the reference to then-Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg, Cohen said, "Because Mr. Trump had previously directed me to speak with Allen Weisselberg about getting this matter settled."

"Because we are going to need money and going to need to open the LLC and to resolve this issue," Cohen said about the LLC being formed.

"We were referring to the 150,000 that was advanced by AMI in order to purchase the life rights of Karen McDougal," Cohen said "He knew already knew based on conversations with David which is why he mentioned the number 150."

When asked about the comment about Pecker getting "hit by a truck," Cohen said that Trump was concerned about the National Enquirer's files about him in case Pecker ever left the company.

"David Pecker was being considered for the CEO position of Time Inc. and the concern was the information -- so all the stuff refers to that," Cohen said

Following this testimony, court was recessed for the mid-morning break.

Cohen, exiting the courtroom, did not appear to look at Trump as he walked by the defense counsel table.

Michael Cohen testified that he made a recording to prove to National Enquirer publisher David Pecker that Trump would repay him the $150,000 for Karen McDougal's catch-and-kill arrangement.

"I also wanted him to remain loyal to Mr. Trump," Cohen added.

Cohen said he walked into Trump's office with his phone in his hand, making the recording.

Cohen told the jury that you can hear Trump, himself, and Trump assistant Rhona Graff on the recording.

Asked whether he thought Trump knew he was recording the conversation, Cohen said: "No, ma'am."

Jurors then heard the recording.

Cohen: Told you about Charleston. I need to open up a company for the transfer of all of that info regarding our friend, David, you know, so that -- I'm going to do that right away. I've actually come up and I've spoken --

Trump: Give it to me and get me a --

Cohen: And, I've spoken to Allen Weisselberg about how to set the whole thing up with --

Trump: So, what do we got to pay for this? One-fifty?

Cohen: -- funding. Yes. And it's all the stuff.

Trump: Yes, I was thinking about that.

Cohen: All the stuff. Because -- here, you never know where that company, you never know what he's --

Trump: Maybe he gets hit by a truck

Cohen: Correct. So, I'm all over that. And, I spoke to Allen about it, when it comes time for the financing, which will be --

Trump: Listen, what financing?

Cohen: We'll have to pay him something.

Trump: (INAUDIBLE) pay with cash.

Cohen: No, no, no, no, no, I got it.

Trump: Check.

Every member of the jury appeared to look down at their monitor to read along with the transcript of the call as it was played. Cohen, as the call played, shook his head "no" over and over again on the witness stand, apparently in disbelief at rehearing it.

At one point he looked over in Trump's direction and sighed as the recording continued, then looked over to the jury to watch them take it in.

DA Alvin Bragg appeared to close his eyes and dropped his head as the call played.

"David had asked me when he should anticipate receiving -- being paid back the $150,000," Cohen testified about then-National Enquirer publisher David Pecker seeking repayment for the money he spent to catch and kill Karen McDougal's story for Trump.

"He wanted the $150,000 back because it was too much money for him to hide from the CEO of the parent company, and he had also laid out $30,000 previously, so he was putting pressure on me to speak to Mr. Trump and to get the money back," Cohen said.

"Was he upset about it?" prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked.

"Very," Cohen said.

Cohen met with Pecker for lunch, where Cohen repeated the request for reimbursement. Cohen said he communicated the request to Trump.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it," Trump said, according to Cohen.

Trump's attorney Emile Bove, during the testimony, leaned in to whisper something to Trump, prompting him to crane his neck to the side and then sit up in his seat for the first time this morning. He then appeared to drop back down and close his eyes again.

Defense attorney Todd Blanche is confronted Michael Cohen with past communications -- with friends and his daughter -- to suggest Cohen was vying to be chief of staff or attorney general after Trump was elected in 2016.

"You told your daughter were disappointed?" Blanche asked about Cohen's response after Reince Priebus was named Trump's chief of staff.

"That I wasn't considered -- yes sir," Cohen said.

Blanche also suggested that Cohen wanted to be attorney general or special counsel the president.

"You told people you would like to be attorney general?" Blanche asked.

"I don't recall that," Cohen said.

An earlier witness -- Stormy Daniels' lawyer Keith Davidson -- testified that Cohen told him that he wanted to be chief of staff or attorney general.

Cohen pushed back on Blanche's suggestion that Cohen wanted a job other than the one he was ultimately given: personal attorney to President Trump.

"I wanted a hybrid position -- one where I would still have the access to President Trump but not be a White House employee," Cohen testified, echoing his testimony from earlier this week.

"You still, even after November, were still looking for a position in the White House?" Blanche said.

"Yes sir," Cohen said before quickly correcting himself. "No."

"I didn't want the General Counsel's office - I made that crystal clear," Cohen said. "There was no shame in being personal attorney to the president of the United States."