In a trial on Monday, Michael Cohen testified that he secretly recorded Donald Trump discussing plans to buy the rights to a Playboy model’s story about their alleged affair in the lead up to the 2016 election. This conversation, which was recorded on the Voice Memos app on Cohen’s iPhone, was the only time he surreptitiously recorded his former boss. Trump could be heard allegedly saying, “What do we got to pay for this? One-fifty?” on the nearly three-minute recording that was played in court.
The conversation focused on plans to purchase the rights to former Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal’s story about her affair with Trump from the National Enquirer. Cohen mentioned that the recording was meant to give assurances to the then-National Enquirer publisher David Pecker that Trump would reimburse him the $150,000 paid to McDougal for the exclusive rights to the story, which was never intended to be published. Cohen testified that the purpose of making the recording was to show it to Pecker so that he would know that Trump would be paying him back.
Cohen, who previously served as Trump’s “fixer” and lawyer, started testifying as the main prosecution witness in the hush money trial against the former president. As Cohen explained his reasons for making the recording without informing Trump, the latter could be seen smirking and shaking his head at the defense table in the courtroom. The jury had previously heard excerpts of the same recording during the testimony of a technology expert.
Cohen emphasized that his role in negotiating the deal with McDougal, known as “catch-and-kill,” was done at the direction and for the benefit of Trump. He informed the court that when he first mentioned McDougal’s allegations to Trump, the latter did not deny them but instead commented on her attractiveness. Despite Trump initially appearing disengaged during Cohen’s early testimony, he became more animated following a mid-morning break, going through papers at the defense table while Cohen continued speaking.
Throughout the trial, Trump’s aides have been seen handing him news clips to read, although it is challenging to discern what he is looking at in the courtroom. Cohen’s testimony has shed light on the behind-the-scenes dealings involving hush money payments and efforts to conceal negative stories about Trump during his presidential campaign. The recordings and testimonies presented in court provide a glimpse into the intricate web of relationships and agreements orchestrated by Cohen on behalf of Trump. The trial has become a high-stakes legal battle, with significant implications for both Cohen and Trump.
