The much-anticipated cross-examination of Michael Cohen portrayed him as a Trump-hating liar who wants the former president in jail. Cohen frequently responded with “I don’t recall” and was confronted with his social media posts criticizing Trump. Defense lawyer Todd Blanche tried to keep Cohen off balance by asking about leaks to the media and Cohen’s involvement in them. Cohen admitted to earning $3.4 million from anti-Trump books and he had built a lucrative career trashing Trump since pleading guilty more than six years ago.
Cohen is the prosecution’s last witness and after the defense finishes its cross-examination, the question remains whether any witnesses will be called or if they will simply rest and claim the state hasn’t met its burden of proof. Trump is not expected to testify despite his previous insistence. Cohen admitted to lying about a proposed Moscow project, obeying the president’s message regarding the “Russia Russia Russia” hoax, and lying to special counsel Robert Mueller during his cooperation. Trump’s lawyer sent Cohen a message thanking him for his loyalty, which Cohen justified by saying it was for the benefit of Trump.
Cohen decided to stop lying for Trump after pressure from his family and pleaded guilty, calling it the worst day of his life. He was removed from Trump’s team and admitted that he had lied during his plea, but later clarified his guilt. He described receiving $420,000 in checks while doing minimal work for Trump in 2017 and was instructed to work things out with the company’s CFO. Cohen acknowledged making $4 million advising clients who wanted to influence the administration. He closed his testimony by apologizing to the country, Congress, and his family, saying he violated his moral compass.
Trump has managed to turn the trial into part of his campaign, with House Speaker Mike Johnson showing up to support him. Trump criticized President Biden for imposing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and read from supporters’ articles claiming the trial is a sham. In a recent poll, only 29% of people in six battleground states said they were paying a lot of attention to Trump’s legal woes. Despite the attention, the public’s response to the trial and its influence remains uncertain.
Overall, the trial involving Michael Cohen has revealed his contempt for Trump and his willingness to profit from trashing him. Cohen’s admissions of lying to protect Trump’s interests have been central to the trial, along with his financial dealings and minimal work for the president. The defense has attempted to paint Cohen as an unreliable witness due to his previous falsehoods, while the prosecution has aimed to show his cooperation and eventual honesty. The trial’s significance in the public eye remains to be seen, as Trump continues to use it to further his campaign message.
