Key takeaways from Cohen's testimony in Trump's hush money trial
Former United States President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen on Monday gave his testimony in the businessman's hush money trial. Cohen detailed his role in making payments to adult film actor Stormy Daniels during Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. He claimed that Trump "signed off on everything," a statement that could potentially undermine Trump's defense strategy.
Why does this story matter?
Cohen's testimony is part of Trump's trial in a Manhattan court, where he is accused of falsifying business records to conceal the reimbursement of hush money paid to Daniels by Trump's lawyer. This payment—intended to silence the adult film star about an alleged 2006 sexual encounter that Trump has repeatedly denied—was allegedly made to boost Trump's prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
Cohen contradicts Trump's defense in hush money case
The lawyer's testimony contradicted Trump's legal team's argument that the payment to Daniels was made to protect his family and marriage. Instead, Cohen said that Trump "wasn't thinking about Melania" when the story threatened to become public. He added that Trump was more concerned about the potential impact on his campaign than his personal life.
Was asked to delay payment until after elections'
Cohen revealed that Trump had instructed him to delay paying Daniels until after the election, quoting him as saying, "Push it out past the election, because if I win, it has no relevance, and if I lose, I don't really care."
Cohen details hush money payment to Daniels
A large part of Cohen's testimony was describing how the hush money was paid to Daniels. Cohen initially resisted paying out of his own pocket but relented after Trump promised him reimbursement. This contradicts claims by Trump's lawyers that Cohen acted independently. Furthermore, Cohen testified about his efforts to suppress negative press against Trump during the 2016 presidential elections. He worked with former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker to kill negative stories, a strategy allegedly endorsed by Trump.
Cohen admits past misconduct
Despite his previous loyalty to Trump, Cohen remained calm and collected during his testimony. He admitted to past instances of lying and bullying but claimed he did so to protect Trump. His testimony is expected to continue on Tuesday, where he will face a potentially hostile cross-examination from Trump's legal team.
