Topline
In a recording played at former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial over alleged hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels on Thursday, Trumps’ former attorney Michael Cohen said Trump “hate(d) the fact that we did it,” referring to the $130,000 Cohen paid the actress.
“I can’t even tell you how many times he said to me ‘I hate the fact that we did it,’” ex-Trump ... [+]
Key Facts
In a recorded phone call between Cohen and Daniels’ lawyer, Keith Davidson, that was played Thursday, Cohen was heard saying, “I can’t even tell you how many times he said to me ‘I hate the fact that we did it,’” according to multiple outlets.
Davidson clarified to the prosecution that the comment was about the hush money payment to Daniels, the New York Times reported, seemingly confirming Trump knew about the deal.
The audio recording—in which Cohen also said he told Trump, who was not named, “every person you spoke to said it was the right thing to do,” referring to the payment—was the first time the jury heard the voice of Cohen, who is expected to be a star witness for the prosecution.
Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to causing an unlawful campaign contribution by making the hush money payment, but Trump has maintained he did no wrong, denied Daniels’ allegations of an affair, said the payment was legal and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
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Key Background
Trump is on trial in New York, where he faces 34 felony charges for an alleged reimbursement to Cohen, who previously admitted to paying Daniels $130,000 as a hush money payment to stay quiet on an alleged affair with Trump. Since the trial started over two weeks ago, Trump’s attorneys have worked to discredit Cohen, arguing he “cannot be trusted,” is biased and untrustworthy. In his opening statements, Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche implied Cohen may be acting out of spite after being denied a spot in Trump’s administration and said Cohen’s livelihood depends on Trump’s downfall as the former lawyer has written a number of books about Trump.
