Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former lawyer, teased stunning evidence in the former president’s hush-money trial, which is set to begin on Monday in Manhattan.
On April 15, Trump will become the first former president in US history to face a criminal trial. Following an investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office, Trump was charged in March 2023 with accusations of falsifying company records in connection with a hush-money payment made to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump, the likely Republican presidential nominee in 2024, has pleaded not guilty to all counts and claims the prosecution is politically motivated.
Cohen, who is likely to be a key witness for Bragg throughout the trial, spoke with Politico before it began. While Cohen kept relatively silent, he suggested that the public would be surprised at what was to come.
During the interview, which was published on April 12, Politico’s Ryan Lizza asked Cohen, “Is this a stronger case when it comes to corroboration than people understand on the outside?”
“If it wasn’t, Alvin Bragg and his team of prosecutors would never have brought this case,” Cohen responded.
When asked if he thought the public would be surprised by some of the corroborating evidence, Cohen said, “I do.”
“In other words: We don’t know everything that’s going to be presented?” Lizza probed.
“In fact, most people don’t really know anything. They only know what the headlines have been. And as you know very, very well, headlines do not necessarily tell the story,” Cohen said.
Cohen served time in prison after pleading guilty to eight felony charges, including campaign finance violations in connection with Daniels’ alleged hush-money scheme. He has since become a staunch Trump critic, frequently appearing on MSNBC to share his insights as a former member of Trump’s closest circle.
He also testified against the former president during his civil fraud prosecution. In that case, New York Judge Arthur Engoron found Trump guilty of financial fraud in a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James. In February, Engoron ordered Trump to pay $355 million plus interest and prevented him from doing business in New York for three years.
The former president has denied any misconduct and has appealed Engoron’s decision.
