Trump Lawyer Clashes with Michael Cohen in Hush Money Trial
Former President Donald Trump’s defense team launched a vehement attack on star witness Michael Cohen’s credibility in a fiery exchange at Trump’s New York hush money trial on Thursday.
“That was a lie!” exclaimed Trump lawyer Todd Blanche, challenging Cohen’s earlier testimony that a call with Trump’s bodyguard, Keith Schiller, was about paying porn star Stormy Daniels to remain silent about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump.
Trump watched his former associate’s testimony with intense scrutiny from the defense table as Cohen defended his decision to make a secret recording that allegedly detailed a hush money deal to aid his client.
Michael Cohen’s Crucial Testimony
Michael Cohen delivered critical testimony for the prosecution earlier this week, asserting that Trump had directed him to pay $130,000 to Daniels ahead of the 2016 election. Cohen further claimed that Trump approved a scheme to disguise his reimbursement to Cohen as monthly payments for legal services.
“Just do it,” Trump allegedly told Cohen. “He approved it,” Cohen testified.
Cohen’s testimony is pivotal as Trump faces more than 30 counts of falsifying business records, a case that hinges on proving the former president’s direct involvement in the hush money payments.
