Devendra Kumar
Michael Cohen’s testimony is revealing the extent of Donald Trump’s involvement in a hush money scheme, where the former president allegedly approved hefty payouts to silence women who claimed to have had affairs with him. Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and personal fixer, told jurors that he was instructed by Trump to handle the payments, which were made to stifle stories that could have harmed his 2016 presidential campaign.
According to Cohen, Trump’s orders were clear: “You handle it.” Cohen described how he was told to pay the Trump Tower doorman $30,000 to keep a claim that Trump had fathered a child out-of-wedlock off the market, despite the claim being deemed unfounded. Similarly, Cohen said Trump instructed him to pay $150,000 to a Playboy model who alleged an extramarital affair with Trump. The model was told to keep the story quiet, and Cohen said Trump explicitly told him to “make sure it doesn’t get released.”
As the trial reaches its final stretch, Cohen’s testimony is of paramount importance to prosecutors. As Trump’s former lawyer and personal fixer, Cohen has intimate knowledge of Trump’s activities and was directly coordinating with him about the payments. Prosecutors say the reimbursements that Cohen received from Trump were logged as legal expenses to conceal the payments’ true purpose, violating the law.
The reimbursements, which total $130,000, form the basis of the 34 felony counts against Trump. Prosecutors may wrap up their presentation of evidence by the end of the week. Trump’s legal team is likely to seize on Cohen’s checkered past, which includes pleading guilty to federal charges related to the payments and lying to Congress. Trump is also likely to paint the case as part of a tainted criminal justice system.
However, Cohen’s testimony has serious implications for Trump’s political future. If jurors find him credible, Trump’s legal exposure could increase significantly. The testimony also raises questions about Trump’s character and his commitment to transparency. As the trial continues, it remains to be seen how Trump will respond to the allegations and whether the damages to his reputation will be irreparable.