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.


What to know about the hush money case

READ MORE: Here's what you need to know about the historic case.


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Jurors again see paperwork for creation of Cohen's LLC

For the second time during the trial, the jury was shown the paperwork for Resolution Consultants LLC, the shell company Michael Cohen formed initially to pay AMI for the Karen McDougal payment.

Cohen conceded he did not give First Republic Bank the "true reason" for the account.

"I'm not sure they would have opened it," Cohen said, if the bank knew the true reason "was to pay off an adult film star for a nondisclosure agreement"

"Need an account opened for Mike Cohen immediately. He wants no address on the checks," Cohen's banker wrote to a colleague on Oct. 13, 2016, when he earlier testified earlier about Cohen's frantic effort to open the two bank accounts in October 2016.

Prosecutors suggested that Cohen misled bankers when he opened the bank account by stating the account was for legitimate business purposes.

Cohen told jurors that he opted to rename the shell company to Essential Consultants after realizing that Resolution Consultants LLC was a real company owned by a friend. The $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels was made from a new account for Essential Consultants.


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.


Members of public wait overnight for seat in courtroom

Several members of the public waited overnight to secure a spot in the courtroom for Michael Cohen's testimony, traveling from as far as Los Angeles for the momentous day in court.

Michael Powers told ABC News that he joined the line at 2:30 p.m. yesterday to secure his spot in court, though he enlisted the help of professional line sitters to hold the spot overnight. He rejoined the line at 5:00 a.m.

"It's history in the making," Powers said. "This isn't gonna happen very often."

Powers said he prioritized seeing Michael Cohen's testimony due to its importance to the prosecution's case.

"I find him credible" Powers said. "He's lied in the past, but he lied for Donald Trump in my opinion, so I think he'll be a good witness."

Other members of the public waited overnight without the use of line sitters, including Chris Sagastizabal, who joined the line at 6:45 p.m. on Sunday with two friends.

"I changed my work schedule," Sagastizabal said.

Five members in the public have been seated in the courtroom this morning, with several others seated in a nearby overflow room.