Trump Lawyer Clashes With Ex-Fixer Michael Cohen in Hush Money Trial - 2024-05-17

In a dramatic turn of events, Donald Trump 's defense lawyer has accused former aide Michael Cohen of lying to seek revenge against his ex-boss in the ongoing hush money trial. The confrontation between Cohen and Trump lawyer Todd Blanche was the most anticipated moment in the month-long trial, which is now speeding toward a conclusion.

Blanche launched a withering cross-examination of Cohen , the central witness against Trump , accusing him of lying as recently as two days ago to realize his dreams of revenge. The lawyer claimed that the phone conversation Cohen had with Trump about a $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels was actually about harassment from a prank caller, and not the payment as Cohen had previously testified.

"No sir I can't, because I am not certain that is accurate," Cohen responded, stating that he believed he spoke with Trump 's then-bodyguard Keith Schiller about the harassment and also spoke briefly with Trump about the payment. Blanche, however, was not satisfied with Cohen 's response, telling him, "We are not asking for your belief."

The exchange highlighted the high stakes of the trial, as Trump 's lawyer sought to cast Cohen as a spiteful turncoat eager to see his former boss behind bars. Blanche played audio clips of Cohen expressing his delight and giddiness at the prospect of Trump and his family facing prison time, and pointed out that Cohen had previously lied to Congress, the Justice Department, and in court.

Central to the case is Cohen 's testimony that Trump ordered him to pay Daniels to protect Trump 's presidential campaign, and that they discussed a plan to reimburse Cohen through a series of bogus invoices for legal fees. Cohen 's chats with Trump , he said, included one in the White House Oval Office when Trump was president in 2017.

While Cohen carries baggage as a witness, having pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from the Daniels payment, some of his testimony has been corroborated by other evidence, including records from Trump 's company. The former president, who faces 34 counts of falsifying business records in New York to cover up the payment to Daniels, has pleaded not guilty and denies having sex with the porn star.

The trial is now speeding toward a conclusion, with Cohen set to return to the witness stand for more questioning on Monday. The defense will then have an opportunity to present its case, though it remains unclear whether Trump will testify. The outcome of this high-stakes trial is likely to have significant implications for the former president's political future and the ongoing legal battles surrounding his presidency.