Michael Cohen, once a staunch ally of Donald Trump, has become the prosecution's key witness in Trump's criminal trial in New York. Cohen took the witness stand on Monday, expected to testify about his involvement in helping Trump conceal a payment to silence a porn star who alleged a sexual encounter with Trump.
Despite being one of Trump's closest associates for nearly a decade, Cohen has turned against him, especially after facing scrutiny from federal prosecutors probing Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Cohen has since become one of Trump's vocal critics, frequently criticizing him on social media and podcasts.
Cohen's $130,000 hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, a porn star alleging a sexual encounter with Trump, is central to the trial. Prosecutors accuse Trump of falsely labeling reimbursement payments to Cohen as legal expenses, covering up potential election-law and tax-law violations.
Throughout the trial, Trump's defense lawyers have attacked Cohen's credibility, portraying him as an untrustworthy liar. However, Cohen's testimony and evidence presented in court, including invoices and checks, aim to establish Trump's involvement in the payment scheme.
Despite Trump's denials, the trial has significant implications for him, particularly as he faces other criminal prosecutions, including attempts to overturn his 2020 presidential defeat and mishandling classified documents after leaving office. While the current trial may be seen as less consequential, it is the only one certain to go to trial before the upcoming election.
