In the hush money trial against former US President Donald Trump, Cohen’s credibility is being questioned by Trump’s defense team due to his past false statements. Defense attorney Todd Blanche aggressively questioned Cohen about his repeated lies, particularly those made under oath during a hearing by the US Congress. Media reports indicate that Cohen confirmed these untrue statements in Trump’s presence. Blanche also presented recordings of Cohen expressing revenge on Trump and hoping for his imprisonment, suggesting an opportunistic character willing to lie to achieve his goals.
The lawsuit alleges that Trump paid $130,000 to porn star Stormy Daniels to prevent her from going public about an alleged one-night stand during the 2016 presidential election. While the transaction itself was not illegal, the prosecution claims that Trump manipulated documents to hide the true reason for the payment, constituting illegal campaign financing. Trump has pleaded not guilty in this landmark criminal trial against a former US president. The trial began in April and is nearing its end with Cohen as the final prosecution witness. The defense will have the opportunity to call witnesses before closing arguments, potentially next week. The trial is currently paused to allow Trump to attend his son Barron’s graduation party. The jury will reach a unanimous decision, and Judge Juan Merchan will determine the sentence if Trump is convicted, facing a possible prison term.
