'Convicted liar': Michael Cohen slammed as he testifies Donald Trump ordered him to pay off Stormy Daniels

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: In a pivotal testimony on Monday, May 13, Michael Cohen, the former personal attorney to Donald Trump, claimed under oath that the ex-president ordered him to orchestrate hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

Cohen's testimony, delivered in Manhattan Supreme Court, provides insight into the alleged efforts to silence a potential sex scandal that could have marred Trump's campaign.

Donald Trump's alleged instructions

Cohen, 57, testified while clad in a dark blue suit and pink tie, recounting Trump's alleged instructions regarding the payments. "He said, 'Absolutely. Do it. Take care of it,'" Cohen recalled Trump's response upon learning of Daniels' intention to publicize an alleged affair dating back to 2006.

Cohen insisted that both the payments to Daniels and Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal were executed at Trump's direction.

“What I was doing, I was doing at the direction and for the benefit of Mr Trump," Cohen affirmed, detailing his involvement in the $150,000 payout to McDougal, who claimed to have had an affair with Trump while he was married to Melania Trump.

Cohen stressed that every step of the process required Trump's approval, underscoring the extent of the president's involvement. “Everything required Mr Trump’s sign off,” he testified, adding that he informed his then-boss in advance because he "wanted the money back."

The courtroom listened intently as Cohen described the tumultuous events surrounding the payments. Despite agreeing to pay Daniels $130,000 for her story's exclusivity, Trump allegedly attempted to delay the payout until after the election.

Cohen testified that when Daniels threatened to disclose the affair elsewhere, Trump instructed him to proceed with the payment, stating simply, "Just do it."

Challenges to credibility

However, Cohen's credibility as a witness was immediately challenged by the defense, which highlighted his previous convictions for perjury and his outspoken criticism of Trump.

Nevertheless, Cohen stood by his testimony, admitting to lying about details regarding the shell company used to transfer funds to Daniels' lawyer, citing concerns about the company's credibility. “I’m not sure if they would’ve opened it if it stated ‘to pay off an adult film star for a nondisclosure agreement.’” he joked.

Throughout Cohen's testimony, Trump, seated just feet away, appeared disinterested, with his eyes closed for a significant portion of the proceedings.

However, he visibly reacted when a recording of a conversation between him and Cohen regarding the McDougal payment was played in court. Despite Cohen's claims that the recording aimed to reassure a third party, Trump remained stoic, seemingly unfazed by the revelation.

“So, what do we got to pay for this? One-fifty?” Trump is reportedly heard saying on the recording of the September 2016 conversation.

Cohen also recounted a meeting with Trump where the president allegedly approved a plan for his company to reimburse him for the Daniels payment, totaling $420,000. "Yes,” Cohen testified, referring to Trump. “He approved it.”

Trump purportedly acknowledged the potential damage to his reputation if Daniels' story surfaced, expressing concern about the impact on his image among women. “Women will hate me,” Trump allegedly remarked. “Guys may think this is cool, but this is going to be a disaster for the campaign,” he added, according to Cohen.

Michael Cohen faces backlash for key testimony

However, Cohen was blasted on social media after he testified that Trump ordered him to pay off Daniels.

"Still not a crime no matter how they try to spin it," one posted on X.

"When do they get to the illegal part?" another asked.

"No one is buying what the convicted liar and fraud is selling," someone else commented.

"Cohen can't tell the truth if his life depended on it," another chimed in.

The presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential race has entered a plea of not guilty to 34 charges of falsifying business records.

These charges relate to the alleged misrepresentation of reimbursements to Cohen for the payments made to Daniels and McDougal. These reimbursements were purportedly logged inaccurately as legal expenses within Trump Organization records, the New York Post reported.

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