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.
Michael Cohen to return for 2nd day of testimony
Ex-Trump attorney Michael Cohen is set to resume his direct examination this morning in former President Trump's criminal hush money trial.
Across six hours of testimony yesterday, Cohen laid out the trial's most incriminating testimony so far regarding Trump's involvement in a scheme to hide information from voters by falsifying business records in order to disguise a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels just days before the 2016 election.
Cohen testified that he helped coordinate a "catch and kill" scheme with David Pecker of the National Enquirer, making a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump, then devising a reimbursement arrangement with then-Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg in 2017. Trump, who has steadfastly denied Daniels' allegations, has denied all wrongdoing.
Cohen told jurors that Trump approved the Daniels hush money payment in October 2016, and that Cohen wired the money from a shell company he funded using a home equity line of credit.
He then recounted a 2017 meeting with Trump and Weisselberg in Trump Tower just days before the inauguration where Trump agreed to the plan to reimburse Cohen for the hush money payment.
"He approved it," Cohen said of Trump. "What I was doing, I was doing at the direction and for the benefit of Mr. Trump."
Trump shares supportive comments from lawmakers
Former President Trump, addressing reporters on his way out of the courtroom, read a series of comments from supportive lawmakers.
"They view this as a scam," Trump said when asked why lawmakers including Sen. J.D. Vance, Sen. Tommy Tuberville and Rep. Nicole Malliotakis joined him in court today. "I think it's a terrible thing that's happening to democracy in this country."
Trump, reading from a stack of papers, highlighted comments that included statements from Vance and Sen. Tim Scott.
"This is four weeks you're keeping me away from the campaign," Trump said.
-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh and Mike Pappano
Cohen says CFO said payments would be for 'legal service'
Michael Cohen recalled then-Trump Organization CFO Weisselberg saying the monthly payments to reimburse him for the Stormy Daniels nondisclosure payment would be recorded "as a legal service render since I was going to be given the title as personal attorney to the president."
Cohen told jurors that Trump and Weisselberg were like "Frick and Frack." Regarding his meeting with the two men about the monthly reimbursement plan, Cohen surmised "this conversation had already taken place between the two."
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked Cohen, "Did Mr. Trump try to renegotiate?"
"No," Cohen replied.
"He approved it at that point?" Hoffinger asked.
"Yes," Cohen responded.
A few days later, Trump left for Washington to assume the presidency.
Hoffinger concluded by asking Cohen whether the $420,000 he would receive in monthly installments was meant to be compensation for any future legal work he did for Trump.
"No," Cohen said.
Testimony then ended for the day.
Cohen says Trump approved payment of $420K, paid monthly
Michael Cohen told jurors that then-Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg told him to "gross up" his requested reimbursement for the $130,000 Stormy Daniels payment to ensure that Cohen got the full amount of money spent, after taxes.
Cohen confirmed that the practice of effectively paying double for expenses was not a normal practice at the Trump Organization.
In addition to the Daniels' reimbursement, Cohen testified that he requested a $50,000 reimbursement to a company called Red Finch for tech services; however, Cohen acknowledged that he asked for more money in the reimbursement that he actually spent on the services.
"I didn't feel that Mr. Trump [was] owed the benefit of the difference," Cohen said.
Cohen told jurors that he ended up keeping the difference for himself.
After Weisselberg worked out a calculation to pay Cohen a total amount of $420,000, Cohen said the two men "went to Mr. Trump's office to speak with him about it."
It was in Trump's office at Trump Tower than Cohen said he learned "it'll be paid out to you monthly."
Cohen said Trump approved it.
'She's really beautiful,' Cohen says Trump said of McDougal
Michael Cohen said he contacted Trump "Immediately after I got off the phone with AMI" about former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal shopping her story that she had a year-long affair with Trump, which he denied.
"Hey boss, I got to talk to you," Cohen recounted telling Trump. "I told him about what I had just learned. I asked him if he knew who Karen McDougal was, knows anything about the story."
"His response was, 'She's really beautiful.' I said, OK, but right now there's a story that's being shopped."
According to Cohen, Trump directed him to "make sure it doesn't get released."