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| Trump admits Michael Cohen was his lawyer in Stormy Daniels matter | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Donald Trump admitted on Thursday that lawyer Michael Cohen represented him in the “crazy Stormy Daniels deal” – despite having previously denied knowing about a $130,000 hush payment paid by his lawyer to the adult film star, who claims to have had sex with him. | Donald Trump admitted on Thursday that lawyer Michael Cohen represented him in the “crazy Stormy Daniels deal” – despite having previously denied knowing about a $130,000 hush payment paid by his lawyer to the adult film star, who claims to have had sex with him. |
| “As a percentage of my overall legal work, [he did] a tiny, tiny little fraction,” the US president said of Cohen. “But Michael represents me like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal.” | “As a percentage of my overall legal work, [he did] a tiny, tiny little fraction,” the US president said of Cohen. “But Michael represents me like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal.” |
| Daniels sued last month to release herself from a non-disclosure agreement that she signed in 2016, arguing that it was void because Trump never signed it. | Daniels sued last month to release herself from a non-disclosure agreement that she signed in 2016, arguing that it was void because Trump never signed it. |
| In April, Trump was asked by reporters on Air Force One if he knew about the payment Cohen says he made. He replied: “No.” When asked why Cohen made the payment, Trump said: “You’ll have to ask Michael Cohen. Michael is my attorney. You’ll have to ask Michael.” | In April, Trump was asked by reporters on Air Force One if he knew about the payment Cohen says he made. He replied: “No.” When asked why Cohen made the payment, Trump said: “You’ll have to ask Michael Cohen. Michael is my attorney. You’ll have to ask Michael.” |
| On Thursday, he distanced himself from Cohen, whose office, apartment and hotel room were raided by FBI officials earlier this month. | On Thursday, he distanced himself from Cohen, whose office, apartment and hotel room were raided by FBI officials earlier this month. |
| “Michael is a businessman. It doesn’t have to do with me … He also practices law I would say the big thing is his business,” Trump told Fox News. | “Michael is a businessman. It doesn’t have to do with me … He also practices law I would say the big thing is his business,” Trump told Fox News. |
| He added: “I have many attorneys. Sadly I have so many attorneys you wouldn’t believe it.” | He added: “I have many attorneys. Sadly I have so many attorneys you wouldn’t believe it.” |
| The concession came during a wide-ranging telephone interview on Fox & Friends, one of Trump’s favorite news shows, in which the president unloaded on a litany of grievances – old and new – that ranged from the “witch-hunt” Russia investigation to the accusation that Hillary Clinton had received a question in advance of a presidential debate in 2016. | The concession came during a wide-ranging telephone interview on Fox & Friends, one of Trump’s favorite news shows, in which the president unloaded on a litany of grievances – old and new – that ranged from the “witch-hunt” Russia investigation to the accusation that Hillary Clinton had received a question in advance of a presidential debate in 2016. |
| A day before the interview, Cohen invoked the fifth amendment in a lawsuit filed against the president by Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. | A day before the interview, Cohen invoked the fifth amendment in a lawsuit filed against the president by Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. |
| The White House has denied that Trump had an affair with Daniels. She alleges that she and Trump had a sexual encounter in 2006. | The White House has denied that Trump had an affair with Daniels. She alleges that she and Trump had a sexual encounter in 2006. |
| Michael Avenatti, a lawyer for Stormy Daniels, called Trump’s comments a “backtrack” and said they help burnish their case. | Michael Avenatti, a lawyer for Stormy Daniels, called Trump’s comments a “backtrack” and said they help burnish their case. |
| “He now has backtracked and now admits that Michael Cohen represented him in connection with the Stormy Daniels matter and that directly contradicts what he said,” Avenatti said on MSNBC. | “He now has backtracked and now admits that Michael Cohen represented him in connection with the Stormy Daniels matter and that directly contradicts what he said,” Avenatti said on MSNBC. |
| Trump also touched on his cozy relationship with the French president, Emmanuel Macron. On the issue of Iran, a top priority for the talks, Trump said of his French counterpart: “He is viewing, I believe, Iran a lot differently than he did before he walked into the Oval Office.” | Trump also touched on his cozy relationship with the French president, Emmanuel Macron. On the issue of Iran, a top priority for the talks, Trump said of his French counterpart: “He is viewing, I believe, Iran a lot differently than he did before he walked into the Oval Office.” |
| Before departing the US, Macron conceded that he had probably failed to convince the US president to stay in the Iran nuclear deal. But he betrayed no signs of coming around to Trump’s point of view on the issue. | Before departing the US, Macron conceded that he had probably failed to convince the US president to stay in the Iran nuclear deal. But he betrayed no signs of coming around to Trump’s point of view on the issue. |
| “My view – I don’t know what your president will decide – is that he will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons,” he said, adding that such frequent changes in the US position on global issues “can work in the short term but it’s very insane in the medium to long term”. | “My view – I don’t know what your president will decide – is that he will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons,” he said, adding that such frequent changes in the US position on global issues “can work in the short term but it’s very insane in the medium to long term”. |
| Trump also repeated that there was “no collusion with me and the Russians” and that “nobody’s been tougher to Russia than I am”. | Trump also repeated that there was “no collusion with me and the Russians” and that “nobody’s been tougher to Russia than I am”. |
| Trump began the interview by wishing his wife a happy birthday and said he specifically chose the date for the Fox interview in honor of the occasion. Asked what he got her, Trump demurred because “maybe I didn’t get her so much”. He then added: “I got her a beautiful card. You know I’m very busy.” | Trump began the interview by wishing his wife a happy birthday and said he specifically chose the date for the Fox interview in honor of the occasion. Asked what he got her, Trump demurred because “maybe I didn’t get her so much”. He then added: “I got her a beautiful card. You know I’m very busy.” |
| Donald Trump | Donald Trump |
| Stormy Daniels | Stormy Daniels |
| Michael Cohen | Michael Cohen |
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