(New York) Sitting at the defense table, Donald Trump spent a good part of Monday with his eyes closed, as if he was trying to ignore the testimony that could earn him a guilty verdict by the jury of his trial in New York and treated as despicable by his wife Melania.
On the stand, Michael Cohen swore his former boss knew about everything, including payments in exchange for the silence of two women before the 2016 presidential election and repayment of $130,000 he himself paid to one of them.
According to the testimony of Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, the latter also participated in a crucial meeting in his Trump Tower office on January 17, 2021. Meeting during which the financial director of his company, Allen Weisselberg, presented a plan to pass payment to pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels for legal fees. This plan is at the heart of the 34 charges against the Republican Party presidential candidate.
PHOTO MARK PETERSON, REUTERS
Donald Trump (center) at the courthouse on Monday
After approving this plan and offering Michael Cohen the role of personal lawyer to the president, Donald Trump declared, according to the witness: “It’s going to be quite an adventure to [Washington] ! »
Known for his pit bull mannerisms, Michael Cohen quickly overcame his initial nervousness and proved to be a calm, polite and direct witness. When addressing the prosecutor who was questioning him, he punctuated his answers with “yes, Madam”.
But his testimony was impactful, particularly when he discussed Donald Trump’s reaction to Stormy Daniels’ threat to make her allegations public following the release of the video ofAccess Hollywoodthe one where the star of the show The Apprentice boasted of being able to grab a woman’s penis.
” It’s a disaster. A total disaster. Women will hate me. The guys might think it’s cool, but it will be a disaster for the campaign,” Donald Trump said, according to Michael Cohen.
“He wasn’t thinking about Melania”
The witness added that his “boss” was, however, indifferent to the mention of the effect that this story could have on Melania if it were made public.
PHOTO EVAN VUCCI, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Former first lady of the United States Melania Trump, in December 2020
” Do not worry. How long do you think I will be on the market? Not long,” Donald Trump said, according to Michael Cohen.
In other words, Donald Trump was already thinking about his third divorce, according to his former “fixer”.
Michael Cohen added these two sentences that forced Donald Trump to open his eyes and shake his head in disagreement: “He wasn’t thinking about Melania. He only thought about his campaign. »
Melania’s name was mentioned in another context. According to Michael Cohen, Donald Trump told him that the idea of calling his misogynistic and sexist comments in the videoAccess Hollywood was that of his wife.
The jurors also heard for the second time the recording of a telephone conversation made by Michael Cohen without Donald Trump’s knowledge in 2016. In this recording, we hear the lawyer talking to his client about the payment of 150,000 $ to the magazine’s ex-playmate Playboy Karen McDougal. Michael Cohen claimed that this was the only time he recorded his client. He explained that he wanted to have this conversation heard by David Pecker, boss of the National Enquirerwho was impatient at not having been reimbursed for the money he himself had paid to Karen McDougal.
“I wanted to make him understand that Mr. Trump intended to pay him back. I wanted to make sure he stayed loyal,” Michael Cohen said.
In August 2015, according to his own testimony, David Pecker agreed with Donald Trump and Michael Cohen to bury stories that could harm the campaign of the Republican Party presidential candidate, a longtime friend.
Time for cross-examination
Michael Cohen will continue his testimony this Tuesday. After questions from prosecutor Susan Hoffinger, he will have to face those of Todd Blanche, who should take charge of the cross-examination. The defense attorney will be sure to attack the credibility of the witness.
In anticipation of this confrontation, Susan Hoffinger tried to face the blows by having Michael Cohen say that his work for Donald Trump had pushed him to practice lies and intimidation in a customary manner. She also invited him to explain why there was no email from Donald Trump likely to support his statements.
Mr. Trump never used email because he saw too many people get convicted over [de tels documents].
Attorney Michael Cohen
The prosecutor also invited Michael Cohen to acknowledge that he had been disappointed not to have been mentioned as a candidate for the post of White House chief of staff.
“It was more for my ego,” he said after admitting he did not have the qualifications to hold the position.
But he did want the title of personal lawyer to the president. Title that he intended to “monetize”, he admitted. Title of which Donald Trump ultimately deprived him.
But the biggest affront his former boss inflicted on him came at the end of December 2016, when he realized that his end-of-year bonus had been reduced by two thirds.
Michael Cohen remembers telling David Pecker, “Can you believe that after all of this and paying $130,000 to protect him, this is the best I’m going to get?” »
“I couldn’t believe it,” he added. “It wasn’t so much the number as the lack of respect that came with it. I felt personally insulted. »
A smile appeared on Donald Trump’s lips when he heard this part of Michael Cohen’s testimony.
Supporters in the room
After returning from the morning break, the former president opened his eyes and spent some time reading the press review that one of his assistants prepares for him daily. He must surely have read the report of the New York Times on a poll placing him ahead of Joe Biden in five of the six key states in the 2024 presidential election.
Donald Trump also received the support of Republican elected officials in the courtroom where his trial is taking place. There on Monday morning were New York Representative Nicole Maliotakis and Senators Tommy Tuberville (Alabama) and JD Vance (Ohio).
“This guy is a convicted felon who admitted in his testimony that he secretly recorded his former employer, that he only did it once allegedly, and that it was supposed to help Donald Trump,” said Senator Vance to reporters outside court. “Does a reasonable, sane person believe everything Michael Cohen says? »
In 2016, JD Vance used the words “idiotic,” “harmful,” and “reprehensible” to describe Donald Trump. He is now one of his potential running mates.