Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former lawyer, delivered testimony in the hush money trial involving Trump, asserting that the former president played a central role in efforts to suppress damaging stories during his 2016 presidential campaign, Associated Press reports.
Cohen stated that Trump was particularly concerned about allegations from porn actor Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal, fearing the impact on his candidacy, especially among female voters. Cohen recounted conversations where Trump instructed him to ensure that these stories did not come to light, indicating Trump’s direct involvement in the efforts to silence the women. Cohen claimed that Trump tasked him with various responsibilities and wanted to be kept informed about ongoing issues, especially those that troubled him.
Cohen further detailed discussions with Allen Weisselberg, the former CFO of the Trump Organization, about how the reimbursements would be made and categorized. The payments to Daniels and McDougal were structured in a way to conceal their true purpose, with Cohen opening a bank account and categorizing the payments as legal expenses. Cohen also testified that Trump promised to reimburse him for the payments, with discussions about how to make the reimbursements through monthly installments.
Cohen’s testimony provided a direct link between Trump and the hush money payments. However, defense lawyers are expected to challenge Cohen’s credibility, given his past criminal activities and admission of lying to Congress.
