Michael Cohen Testifies on Trump’s Involvement in Hush Money Scheme

In a pivotal moment of Donald Trump’s hush money trial, his former lawyer Michael Cohen testified on Monday, providing a matter-of-fact account of Trump’s intimate involvement in a scheme to suppress stories about sexual encounters that threatened his 2016 campaign. Cohen stated that Trump was intricately involved, with every aspect requiring his approval. He recounted Trump’s anxiety over stories involving porn actor Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal, saying Trump was primarily concerned about the impact on his standing with female voters.

Cohen detailed Trump’s promise to reimburse him for the hush money payments and his direct communication with Trump about the efforts to bury the stories. Trump has pleaded not guilty and denied the encounters. Cohen’s testimony, central to the prosecution’s case, could significantly increase Trump’s legal exposure if deemed credible by jurors. However, Trump’s defence maintains that the payments were correctly categorised as legal expenses.