In a bombshell testimony during Donald Trump’s hush money trial, Michael Cohen admitted to stealing $60,000 from his former boss. Cohen claimed that this theft was a form of “self-help” as retaliation for Trump cutting his bonus from $150,000 to $50,000. This confession came during a trial where Trump is accused of altering company records to hide the $130,000 Cohen paid to Stormy Daniels to conceal a sex scandal before the 2016 election. Cohen’s matter-of-fact admission drew attention as he sat just feet away from Trump in Manhattan Supreme Court.
During the trial, Cohen revealed that he felt angered by the bonus reduction, leading him to steal from the Trump Organization as a response. He testified that he falsely claimed to need repayment for fronting funds to a tech company that helped boost Trump’s ranking in a famous businessmen poll. Although he only paid the company $20,000, he attempted to get a $50,000 reimbursement from Trump. The payment to Cohen was combined with a reimbursement for the hush money, grossed up to make up for taxes that Cohen would owe.
Despite acknowledging the theft, Cohen admitted that he had not paid the money back to the Trump Organization. Cohen said that he had informed multiple prosecutors at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office about the theft, but was never charged for it. The exchange between Cohen and the defense lawyer occurred as the defense questioned Cohen’s credibility, citing his past convictions for perjury and his new career as a vocal Trump critic, which has resulted in substantial earnings from books and podcasts.
The courtroom drama continued with Cohen asserting that he spoke with Trump at least twenty times in 2016 about the Daniels payment and that he would not have made the payment if Trump did not promise to reimburse him. Jurors also heard a recorded phone call where Cohen seems to discuss the hush money payment with Daniels’ lawyer. The call captured Cohen expressing his unhappiness over the situation and his loyalty to Trump. After Cohen’s testimony concluded, Trump’s legal team moved to dismiss the case based on Cohen’s history of lying, but the judge appeared skeptical about this argument.
Justice Juan Merchan questioned whether the case should be taken out of the jury’s hands, as he believed the jury, composed of “12 New Yorkers,” was capable of deciding which parts of Cohen’s testimony to believe. The trial brought to light the complex relationship between Trump and Cohen, showcasing how loyalty and personal motivations can play a significant role in legal proceedings. The trial’s outcome will ultimately affect the future of both Trump and Cohen, whose adversarial relationship has been further exacerbated by these revelations in court. Despite the twists and turns in the trial, the public remains captivated by the drama unfolding in the hush money trial involving two of the most prominent figures in American politics.
