Michael Cohen details hush money meeting with Trump in White House
Michael Cohen leaves his apartment building on way to Manhattan criminal court on May 14. Photo: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Former President Trump's ex-fixer Michael Cohen is back on the witness stand Tuesday to resume his testimony in Trump's ongoing criminal hush money trial.
Why it matters: Trump's legal team could begin cross-examining Cohen, the prosecution's star witness, as early as Tuesday and try to discredit his testimony and cast him as seeking revenge against his former boss.
- Cohen, a convicted felon, testified Monday that Trump directed him to make the $130,000 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
- Trump, who has denied wrongdoing, is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with the hush money payment.
Driving the news: Cohen testified Tuesday that he visited the White House in 2017 to meet with Trump to discuss a reimbursement for the hush money payment that Cohen facilitated to Daniels.
- "I was sitting with President Trump and he asked me if I was OK. He asked me if I needed money. And I said, 'no all good.' He said because I can get a check. I said, 'no, I'm OK.' He said, 'Alright, just make sure you deal with Allen [Weisselberg],'" Cohen said, per CNN.
- Cohen also testified that he was facing a "tremendous amount of pressure" when he lied to Congress about his connection to plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow, per the New York Times.
Catch up quick: In his first day of testimony, Cohen described the worry in the Trump campaign before the 2016 election over the impact of Daniels' story if it got out.
- Trump said Daniels' story was a "total disaster," Cohen testified.
- He also testified that the presumptive GOP presidential nominee told him at the time: "Just take care of it."
What to watch: The Manhattan courthouse has increasingly become a place for Trump allies to show their support for the former president and presumptive GOP presidential nominee.
- House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) attended court on Tuesday. Trump vice presidential contenders North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Vivek Ramaswamy have joined Trump in court on Tuesday.
Go deeper: Mike Johnson expected to join Trump at N.Y. criminal trial
Editor's note: This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.