Former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial turned heated Thursday when the defense accused Michael Cohen of lying about a phone call he said he had about the alleged deal with adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Cohen previously testified he called Trump’s bodyguard Keith Schiller, on Oct. 24, 2016, in order to speak with Trump and let him know he had come to an agreement with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.
But in cross-examination Thursday morning, defense attorney Todd Blanche argued Cohen was lying about the purpose of the call, which is a key piece of evidence in the government’s case.
In the days leading up to Oct. 24, Blanche said, Cohen complained about repeated prank calls from an unidentified teenager.
“You were receiving a bunch of ongoing and continuing harassment phone calls,” Blanche asked. “Do you remember that?”
“Yes, sir,” Cohen replied.
Blanche read text messages between Cohen and the apparent teen prankster. According to Blanche, Cohen said he would contact the Secret Service about the matter.
“I didn’t do it. I am 14. Please don’t do it,” Blanche read aloud from the texts from the teen.
On the night of Oct. 24, according to text messages, Cohen texted Schiller about the prank calls.
“Who can I speak to about harassing calls to my phone and office,” one of the texts from Cohen to Schiller read.
According to Blanche, Schiller texted back, asking Cohen to call him at 8:02 p.m.
“This is the call that you testified about on Tuesday that you had a conversation with President Trump,” Blanche said.
Cohen, who testified on Tuesday that he had called Schiller to speak with Trump, agreed. According to Blanche, Cohen texted Schiller the phone number of the prank caller at 8:04 p.m.
“Part of it was the 14-year-old, but I knew that Keith was with Trump at the time,” Cohen responded.
“That was a lie. You did not talk to President Trump that night,” Blanche said, growing animated, raising his voice. “You can admit it.”
“No sir, I can’t,” Cohen said. “Because I’m not sure that’s accurate.”
“That. Was. A. Lie,” Blanche said again moments later, pausing for effect between each word.
Despite the fiery interrogation, Cohen stood by his testimony, maintaining that he spoke to both Trump and Schiller in that phone call.
“Based upon what was going on and based upon the other messages regarding the Stormy Daniels matter, yes, I believe I was telling the truth,” Cohen said.
The defense’s cross-examination of Cohen largely focused on painting him as a serial liar whose testimony should not be trusted. Blanche questioned Cohen about his previous criminal convictions, and emphasized he has admitted to previously lying under oath. Trump has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels and pleaded not guilty to the charges in the case.
In his testimony, Cohen acknowledged this pattern of lies, which he said he did in order to “protect” Trump and his campaign.
“I regret doing things for him that I should not have. Lying. Bullying people in order to effectuate a goal,” Cohen said Tuesday. “I don’t regret working with the Trump Organization, as I expressed before some very interesting great times.”
“But to keep the loyalty and do things that he had asked me to do,” Cohen continued, “I violated my moral compass, and I suffered the penalty, as has my family.”
— ABC News’ Jianna Cousin, Aaron Katersky and Olivia Rubin contributed to this report.
