Michael Cohen, Trump's fixer-turned-foe, says he was told to 'handle' hush money payments

Donald Trump hush money trial: Sixteen days into a trial that has kept the US hooked, ex-lawyer Michael Cohen who served as a legal aide to Donald Trump between 2006 and 2018 took the witness stand on the most significant day of testimony in the first-ever criminal trial of a former US president.

Cohen's testimony tied a 2016 hush-money arrangement back to the ex-president. Michael Cohen said he spoke to Trump immediately after wiring the $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and that it was one of the many times he worked "at the direction of and for the benefit" of Donald Trump.

Daniels in exchange for the money, had agreed to keep quiet about allegedly having sex with Trump while he was married. Trump has denied ever having sex with Daniels.

Reports in the US media cited the former president sitting back in his chair with his eyes closed as Cohen told the court on Monday (May 13) that Trump "approved" the hush money repayment plan. Trump then allegedly told Cohen, "This is gonna be one heck of a ride in [Washington] DC."

Trump faces 34 counts of business fraud for allegedly reimbursing Cohen for the payment through transactions masked as legal expenses.

Also watch |Hush money trial: Trump's fixer-turned-foe on take witness stand

Cohen said that Trump's top financial officer Allen Weisselberg told him in front of their boss that he would be paid back in 12 installments of $35,000 as a retainer for legal services. They sum up to $420,000 in total of which Cohen paid Daniels $130,000.

The total would be far larger than what Cohen originally paid because he would be taxed on the payments, he said.

Michael Cohen Testimony: What does it mean?

The spectre of Cohen's testimony was just a matter of time in the ongoing trial. His name popped up as prosecutors walked jurors down a trail of bank statements, text messages, witness testimony, emails and recordings of crucial conversations.

His version of events and conversations from 2016 could come back to haunt Trump as he seeks to return to the White House.

Cohen, who served time in prison for crimes related to the payment, is one of the few witnesses who could help US prosecutors establish that Trump knew about the alleged reimbursement scheme.

Cohen also testified that Trump told him to "be prepared" for negative publicity after announcing his 2016 presidential bid.

"There's going to be a lot of women coming forward," he allegedly said.

He said Trump instructed him to "handle" several hush-money payments.

"Women will hate me," he told Cohen, according to Monday's testimony.

In 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty to eight counts, including tax offences, fraud and campaign finance violations, the latter of which came from the same payment in question at Trump's trial.

He also pleaded guilty to lying to Congress.

Trump's lawyers have sought to distance him from the payment.

(With inputs from agencies)