As Trump Hush Money Trial Concludes, Michael Cohen’s Testimony Remains Central To Hopes Of Both Sides

The prosecution and defense rested their cases last week following Michael Cohen’s exhaustive four-day testimony, leaving the former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial at the hands of the jury.

Cohen’s previous tenure as Trump’s fixer marked him as a highly anticipated witness and made his testimony pivotal. Throughout his four days on the stand, he faced questions covering everything from his prospective television show, The Fixer, to his previous perjury on the witness stand. 

The testimony also included Cohen’s newest confession: his admission of stealing from the Trump Organization. 

On the stand, he recounted charging the Trump organization $50,000 for getting the tech firm RedFinch to tamper with polls during Trump’s campaign. Cohen paid the firm $20,000 and pocketed $30,000 after being reimbursed for the expense. 

This statement is essential to Trump’s defense case, allowing the jury to see Cohen’s questionable conduct up close. When coupled with his previous statements about lying for Trump and his history of prison time, the defense hopes to use Cohen to raise doubts in the jurors’ minds.

The prosecution rested its case following Cohen’s testimony, handing the remainder of the trial to the defense. 

The defense rested after calling just two witnesses, leaving closing arguments to start on Monday morning.