Former President Trumpâs criminal trial is expected to resume Monday with Michael Cohen on the stand for the third day of cross-examination by defense attorneys.
Cohen, who previously served as Trumpâs lawyer and described himself as the former presidentâs âfixer,â is set to take the stand again at 9:30 a.m. Monday in Lower Manhattan.
Cohen, who is said to be Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggâs âstar witness,â first took the stand last week, answering questions from New York prosecutors as they seek to make their case against the former president and presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

Donald Trumpâs former lawyer, Michael Cohen, returned to the witness stand on Tuesday in the NY v. Trump trial. (Getty Images)
Prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump falsified business records 34 times to conceal a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels, a pornographic performer, in the lead-up to the 2016 election to silence her about an alleged affair with Trump in 2006.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and maintains his innocence.
âI didnât violate any law,â Trump said after court on Thursday. âThis is a scam.â
Trumpâs defense attorney, Todd Blanche, began his cross-examination of Cohen on Tuesday, which continued through the day Thursday. Court did not meet Friday so the former president could attend his youngest son Barron Trumpâs high school graduation in Palm Beach, Florida.
Court does not meet on Wednesdays.
So far, Cohen has testified that he personally made the $130,000 payment to Daniels using a home equity line of credit in an effort to conceal the payment from his wife. Cohen said he did this because Trump told him to âhandle itâ and prevent a negative story from coming out ahead of the election.
Cohen testified that he was âreimbursed $420,000â for the $130,000 he paid to Daniels. Cohen said former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg suggested he âgross upâ the payments and claimed that Trump knew the details of that reimbursement.
The prosecution presented Cohen with 11 checks totaling $420,000. Cohen confirmed that they were all received and deposited. The checks had a description of a âretainer,â which Cohen said was false.

Michael Cohen departs his home for Manhattan Criminal Court for the trial of former President Trump in New York City, on May 14, 2024. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump defense attorney Todd Blanche was able to get Cohen to testify about the non-disclosure agreement signed by Daniels in October 2016.
Cohen confirmed that the contract, which Trump never signed, was lawful, and he admitted that non-disclosure agreements are not unusual. The contract was signed using pseudonyms.
Cohen also testified that he sent statements to reporters declaring that Trump was not a party to the Daniels payment.
Blanche also has highlighted Cohenâs history of lying under oath dating back to 2017, including to Congress about a Trump Tower Moscow project and federal investigators from Special Counsel Robert Muellerâs office.
Under oath last October, Cohen said he lied under oath more than once in front of Judge William H. Pauley, who sentenced Cohen to three years in prison in 2018 after he pleaded guilty to charges that included campaign finance fraud and lying to Congress.
Cohen agreed again Thursday that he did indeed lie under oath to Pauley.

Stormy Daniels could leave the United States if former President Trump is found not guilty, according to her husband. (Phillip Faraone/Getty Images)
Blancheâs questioning also led Cohen to admit that he believes he shouldnât have been charged with some federal crimes in 2018, including tax evasion, related to his investments in New York City taxi medallions.
âYou felt that you did not engage in tax fraud, but you had to plead guilty to protect your wife and family?â Blanche asked.
âCorrect,â Cohen responded.
Blanche also said Cohen lied about speaking to Trump on Oct. 24, 2016. Cohen claimed he spoke to then-candidate Trump about the Daniels payment.
MICHAEL COHEN TESTIFIES HE SECRETLY RECORDED TRUMP IN LEAD-UP TO 2016 ELECTION
Blanche again accused Cohen of lying and insists he never spoke with Trump that day.
Cohen responded, âI always ran everything by the boss immediately.â
âThat was a lie, you did not talk to President Trump,â Blanche said.
âIâm not certain thatâs accurate,â Cohen responded.
Cohen maintains, based on the records that he was able to review, that he spoke with Trumpâs former bodyguard Keith Schiller â but also believes he spoke with Trump about the Daniels deal.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks during a press conference on Feb. 8. (Barry Williams for NY Daily News via Getty Images)
âWeâre not asking what you believe,â Blanche responded.
Cohen also admitted that he âtook some creditâ for Braggâs indictment of Trump last year, which led to the historic and unprecedented criminal trial of a former U.S. president.
Blanche played a clip in court of Cohen saying during a 2020 podcast interview, âI absolutely hope he ends up in prisonâŠâ
Asked by Blanche whether he believes he played a role in Trumpâs indictment from New York prosecutors, Cohen responded, âI took some credit.â

Michael Cohen is cross-examined by defense lawyer Todd Blanche during former President Trumpâs criminal trial. (Reuters/Jane Rosenberg )
Cohen also testified that he wanted to be considered for a top role in the Trump administration, like attorney general or chief of staff, for âego purposes.â
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Blanche said the defense expects to wrap up cross-examination on Monday. Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger said she will have less than an hour on redirect questioning of Cohen.
The defense anticipates reaching a decision on other witnesses soon, and said itâs reasonable that they could âget on and offâ the stand on Monday.
It is unclear, at this point, if Trump will testify in his own defense.
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