On Tuesday, Michael Cohen, former lawyer to former President Donald Trump, made admissions that might just change the course of the New York trial. Returning to the witness stand for a second day, Cohen’s statements during a cross-examination on Tuesday raised eyebrows and might potentially undermine his credibility in the high-profile case.
Cohen, who worked closely with Trump prior to the 2016 election, and famously negotiated on his behalf with pornographic actress Stormy Daniels, faced intense questioning about his podcast comments. Todd Blanche, Trump’s attorney questioning Cohen, highlighted a particularly provocative episode from October 23, 2020, where Cohen expressed a vehement desire to see Trump imprisoned.
Responding to Blanche’s inquiry about whether he said, “I truly f**king hope Donald Trump ends up in prison,” Cohen acknowledged, “Sounds more like my language on Mea Culpa,” referring to the name of his podcast. The statement, among others, could significantly impact the jury’s perception of Cohen, painting him as possibly unhinged and vengeful, which would jeopardize the case against Trump.
During the session, Cohen was also questioned about his location during the recording of the podcast in 2020. When Blanche mistakenly referred to it as a prison, Cohen quickly corrected him, stating it was a “condo.” The correction happened while all parties involved, including Judge Juan Merchan and Donald Trump—who was seen handling a pair of vintage-style black headphones—listened intently to the recorded audio according to CNN.
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The courtroom, equipped with technology reminiscent of the 1990s, turned silent as the audio played, concluding with Cohen’s admission, “I heard that, yes.” Further, when asked if he had stated on the podcast that Trump “needs to wear handcuffs and to do the perp walk. People will not be satisfied until he’s sitting inside a cell,” Cohen ambiguously replied, “I don’t recall saying that but I don’t put it past me.”
The interrogation took a more personal turn as Blanche delved into other insults Cohen had hurled at Trump in the past, showcasing the frequent animosity that marks Cohen’s commentary on his old boss. Blanche inquired whether Cohen referred to Trump as a “boorish cartoon misogynist” on his show, to which Cohen responded, “Sounds like something I would say.” The examination continued with Blanche revealing another remark from Cohen who reportedly called Trump a “Cheeto-dusted cartoon villain,” an assertion that Cohen did not deny.
Cohen also revealed his late-night battles with insomnia and how he turns to TikTok as his escape. Under the probing of Blanche, Cohen admitted to hosting over an hour of live sessions nightly on TikTok to foster a community and express his frustrations due to sleeplessness. Cohen also discussed his opinions about Trump on X. When pressed by Blanche, Cohen acknowledged that on his podcast, he has expressed a desire to see Trump held accountable and, yes, convicted in this very case.
The conversation took a turn as Blanche highlighted merchandise from Cohen’s website—a $32 T-shirt featuring Trump in a prison jumpsuit and other items boldly stating, “convict 45” and a coffee mug declaring, “send him to the big house, not the White House.” Cohen confirmed these were indeed digs at Trump, even confessing to wearing the contentious T-shirt in a recent TikTok video according to Fox News.
The exchanges paint a significant challenge for the court: discerning the motivations behind Cohen’s statements and their impact on the integrity of his testimony. The colorful descriptors used by Cohen paint a picture of deep-seated disdain towards Trump, which may influence how the jury views his accusations and testimony. With each admission, Cohen’s reliability as a witness is tested, possibly affecting the trajectory of the trial.