Defense attorney Todd Blanche asked about Michael Cohen's interest in a White House position after Trump was elected in 2016, in order to highlight another alleged inconsistency in his congressional testimony.

"Do you remember telling Congress that it was a lie that you did not want to go to the White House?" Blanche asked.

"I remember telling Congress that I did not want to work in the White House," Cohen said.

"I believe you testified you were never offered the role of chief of staff" -- a role that you wish you had, asked Blanche.

Cohen reaffirmed that he was never offered the role of chief of staff.

"I would have liked to be considered, for ego purposes," he said.

"The truth is, Mr. Cohen, you really wanted to work in the White House, correct?" Blanche asked.

"Again, no sir," Cohen said.

"You hoped that you would be named the White House chief of staff -- not just be considered?" Blanche asked.

"No sir," Cohen said.

When Michael Cohen's cross-examination resumed following the mid-morning break, defense attorney Todd Blanche established that Cohen has not received a cooperation agreement with any prosecutor's office -- not the Southern District of New York, not special counsel Robert Mueller, not the Manhattan DA.

"You were meeting with them and providing information?" Blanche asked Cohen.

"Correct," Cohen said.

"But ultimately that did not result in a cooperation agreement?" Blanche asked.

"That's correct," Cohen answered.

The tacit implication may be that none of the prosecutors thought Cohen trustworthy enough to enter into a cooperation deal with him.

An hour and half into Michael Cohen cross-examination, Trump has remained largely slumped in his seat at the defense table, his eyes fluttering between closed and opened. He has occasionally leaned forward, briefly squinting, but seemed unfazed by a majority of his attorney Todd Blanche's strikes at Cohen.

Meanwhile, the majority of the jury has appeared attentive to Cohen's testimony. Unlike the intense back and forth between defense attorney Susan Necheles and Stormy Daniels last week, during which jurors turned their heads with every question, they appear to be watching Cohen's cross-examination more casually. Some focus only on Blanche, while others keep their attention on Cohen.

As he exited the courtroom for the mid-morning break, Trump gave a thumbs-up to a reporter who shouted, "How's Todd doing?"

Defense attorney Todd Blanche attempted to highlight Michael Cohen's contrasting statements about whether he wanted a pardon from then-President Trump.

Cohen told jurors that he never asked Trump for a pardon, though he asked his lawyer about the possibility.

"I never asked for it. I spoke to my attorney about it because we had seen on television President Trump talking about potentially pre-pardoning everyone and putting an end to this," Cohen said.

Cohen confirmed he talked to attorney Robert Costello about exploring the idea of getting a pardon, which he would have accepted at the time.

Blanche said that during Cohen's 2019 Congressional testimony, Cohen said, "I have never asked for, nor would I accept a pardon from President Trump."

Blanche said that Cohen later said something different during a deposition.

"And do you remember being asked the same question, about accepting a pardon ... and you said "you directed your lawyer to explore the possibility because you were 100% open to accepting it?" Blanche asked.

"Yes sir," Cohen said. "At that present moment, it was true. I wanted this nightmare to end ... I asked them, is this really something that they're talking about? Can you find out?"

Pushed by Blanche on the issue, Cohen refused to acknowledge his congressional testimony was a lie.

"That was a lie, was it?" Blanche asked.

"At the time it was accurate," Cohen said.

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.