Former President Donald Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen testified in Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan, serving as the star witness in a hush money case related to a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection to the payment, to which he has pleaded not guilty. During his testimony, Cohen revealed that Trump appeared unconcerned about his wife Melania leaving him over Daniels’ affair allegations, with Trump allegedly stating, “How long do you think I’m going to be on the market for?” This indicated Trump’s focus on the campaign rather than his marriage.
Cohen recalled that Trump viewed the Daniels situation as a “total disaster” that would worsen his already poor polling numbers with women voters. While Melania’s knowledge of the hush money payment remains unclear, Cohen shared that she had reached out to him asking to relay a message to Trump. Trump had encouraged Cohen to delay paying Daniels until after the election, reasoning that if he won, he would be president and if he lost, it wouldn’t matter. Cohen initially had no intention of meeting the funding deadline, but with the urgency surrounding the situation, he decided to pay the $130,000 with the expectation of reimbursement from Trump at a later date.
In further revelations from Cohen’s testimony, he disclosed that Melania had suggested spinning the Access Hollywood tape incident, in which Trump made controversial remarks about women, as “locker room talk.” Trump had told Cohen that Melania thought this approach would help minimize the impact of the story on Trump’s campaign. The infamous tape captured Trump boasting about being able to “grab” women by their genitalia due to his celebrity status. Melania’s recommendation to frame the incident as harmless banter aimed to deflect negative attention from Trump in the midst of the election campaign.
The dynamics between Trump, Melania, and Cohen during the Stormy Daniels scandal shed light on the lengths to which the former president was willing to go to protect his image and campaign. Despite concerns about the impact of the Daniels allegations on his campaign, Trump prioritized his political ambitions over potential damage to his personal life. Melania’s involvement in strategizing how to address the Access Hollywood tape further emphasizes the collaborative efforts within Trump’s inner circle to manage scandals and present a united front in the face of adversity.
Cohen’s testimony added another layer of complexity to Trump’s legal troubles, offering insight into his mindset and decision-making processes during a tumultuous period in his presidency. The revelations surrounding Trump’s lack of concern over Melania potentially leaving him due to the Daniels affair allegations underscore the dissonance between his personal life and political aspirations. As the trial unfolds, the details provided by Cohen provide a glimpse into the internal workings of the Trump administration and the intricate relationships at play within the former president’s inner circle.
