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 see texts reconnecting Cohen with Daniels' lawyer

Jurors saw an October 2016 text message where National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard reintroduced Michael Cohen to Stormy Daniels' then-attorney Keith Davidson

"Connecting you both in regards to that business opportunity. Spoke to the client this AM and they're confirmed to proceed with the opportunity. Thanks. Dylan," Howard wrote.

"Over to you two," added Howard.


'Take care of it,' Cohen says Trump said of Daniels allegations in 2011

Michael Cohen recounted what he said was a 2011 conversation with Trump about the allegations from Stormy Daniels after TheDirty.com made a blog post about the relationship. Cohen successfully had the blog post taken down with the help of Daniels' then-attorney Keith Davidson.

"I asked him if he knew who she was. He told me he did," Cohen said of Trump.

Cohen said that Trump did not answer his question about the allegations.

"He turned around and said she was a beautiful woman," Cohen recounted.

Cohen said that Trump OK'd the 2011 effort to take down the blog post about the affair.

"Absolutely, do it. Take care of it," Trump responded, according to Cohen.


Cohen says Stormy Daniels story would have been 'catastrophic'

As Michael Cohen was attempting to do damage control for the "Access Hollywood" story on Oct. 8, 2016, National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard flagged to Cohen that adult film actress Stormy Daniels was shopping her allegations of a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump, which the former president has steadfastly denied.

Years earlier, Cohen worked with Daniels' attorney Keith Davidson to get a story taken down about the alleged affair.

Asked about the potential impact of Daniels' story, Cohen said it would have been "catastrophic."

"Horrible for the campaign," Cohen said.


Cohen recounts Trump's response to 'Access Hollywood' tape

Michael Cohen testified that he was in London in October 2016 when the news of the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape broke.

"Please call me," Cohen emailed Trump adviser Steve Bannon in October 2016.

"It's all over the place. Who is doing damage control here?" Cohen later emailed.

Cohen said he was trying to step in "in order to protect Mr. Trump.'

Jurors also saw phone records showing two calls between Trump and Cohen on Oct. 8, 2016.

"He wanted me to reach out to all of my contacts in the media who needed to put a spin on this," Cohen said. "The spin that he wanted to put out it was that this locker room talk -- something that Melania had recommended or at least he told me that's what Melania thought it was and use that in order to get control over the story and minimize its impact on him and his campaign."

Trump, again, shook his head no at the answer from the defense table.

Jurors then saw texts between Cohen and former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo.

"Will be too late ... he is dying right now," Cuomo texted Cohen.

Cohen explained that he believed, "That this is a tremendously negative story in regard to the Trump campaign ... this is going to be significantly impactful, especially with women voters."


Trump team attempts to cast doubt on Karen McDougal call

Defense attorney Todd Blanche pressed Michael Cohen on the hush money payment made to Playboy model Karen McDougal, whose story Cohen said he thought could be damaging to the Trump campaign.

"President Trump at least initially didn't think it would hurt him?" Blanche asked.

"Initially yes," Cohen said.

Blanche attempted to cast doubt on how Cohen could remember a specific phone call with Trump about McDougal in June 2016 when he was getting a hundreds of calls a week at the time.

Cohen agreed with the defense that he gets 14,000 phone calls a year.

"So when you testified Monday and Tuesday about specific conversations you had with Mr. Howard, with President Trump, you were not testifying about a specific recollection of that phone call?" Blanche asked.

"I was," Cohen said. "Because these phone calls are things I've been talking about for the last six years. They are, and they, were all-consuming."