Michael Cohen reveals he recorded Donald Trump's phone call that assures David Pecker reimbursement

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Michael Cohen, the former confidant of Donald Trump, testified in the hush money trial on Monday, May 13, after being summoned by the prosecutors.

The former president is facing election-law and tax-law violations, which all sum up to 34 counts of misdemeanors and felonies punishable by up to four years in prison. Trump has also pleaded not guilty in all counts.

Michael Cohen opens up about Donald Trump and David Pecker's deal before 2016 elections

Cohen was present before the New York state criminal court in Manhattan and said that he was part of the deal between Trump, and National Enquirer publisher David Pecker to boost Trump’s presidential candidacy.

As per the alleged deal, the media outlet was also supposed to block any negative stories, which could impact his chances. 

According to Trump’s ex-loyalist, in June 2016, just before the Republican National Convention, Michael Cohen shared that he learned from the Enquirer that former Playboy model Karen McDougal was trying to sell a story about an alleged year-long affair she had with Trump.

Cohen recalled Trump saying, "Make sure it doesn't get released," per Reuters.

Michael Cohen reveals a recorded conversation of Donald Trump directing to block the Karen McDougal story

A phone call recording was played in the court that Cohen made, in which Trump asked him, "So what do we got to pay for this? One-fifty?"

Trump was referring to reimbursing Pecker for a $150,000 payment the Enquirer made to acquire the exclusive rights to McDougal's story, per Cohen.

The former POTUS could also be heard telling Cohen to pay with cash, which Cohen said was to "avoid any type of paper transaction."

The purpose of recording the call was to assure Pecker that the reimbursement would be made to the Enquirer. He also shared that Trump didn't know about the calls being recorded.

Prosecutors also alleged that Stormy Daniels was also paid to keep quiet, as it would have hurt Trump’s 2016 election campaign.

Before the trial began on Monday, Donald Trump addressed the media before court proceedings and called the case a “political witch-hunt” and again slammed judge Juan Merchan, accusing him of being “corrupt.”

Internet reacts to Donald Trump's recorded attempt to manipulate the media

Internet reflected on Michael Cohen testifying in the ongoing Trump hush money trial on Monday.

An X user said on Cohen, "A key witness disgrace liar and convicted felon." Another individual remarked, "When the blind lead the blind, they BOTH fall into the pit!"

One tweeted, "Very shocking. The corrupt loser was worried about losing because all he does is lose."

"And his poll numbers keep going up...lol.," said another netizen who felt the trial is not impacting Trump's current campaign.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.