Trump's Secret Recording Revealed: Michael Cohen's Testimony Unfolds

Former lawyer Michael Cohen shocks a New York jury with a covert recording of ex-President Donald Trump, shedding light on hush money payments and Trump's alleged knowledge of an affair with Karen McDougal.

Trump's Secret Recording Revealed: Michael Cohen's Testimony Unfolds

In a bombshell revelation, Michael Cohen, former personal attorney to ex-President Donald Trump, has admitted to secretly recording a conversation with Trump ahead of the 2016 election. The recording, played for a New York jury on Monday, sparked intense scrutiny and raised questions about Trump's involvement in hush money payments and his knowledge of an alleged affair.

Cohen testified that he surreptitiously recorded Trump on September 6, 2016, shortly before the general election. The conversation centered around a payment to former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, who had allegedly paid Playboy model Karen McDougal $150,000 to suppress her claims of an affair with Trump.

According to Cohen's testimony, Trump acknowledged Pecker's payment to McDougal and agreed to reimburse him. "So what do we got to pay for this? One-fifty?" Trump is heard saying on the recording.

Cohen claimed that he made the recording for two reasons: to reassure Pecker that he would be repaid and to ensure Pecker's loyalty to Trump. He argued that Trump was fully aware of the payment and had authorized it.

Trump's defense team has vehemently denied the allegations, painting Cohen as a "grifter" and a "convicted felon." Republican Senator JD Vance condemned Cohen's testimony, questioning his credibility and dismissing his motives.

The recording has become a focal point in the ongoing civil business fraud trial against Trump. Prosecutors allege that Trump falsified business records to conceal hush money payments to Stormy Daniels, another woman who alleged an affair with Trump.

Daniels testified last week, detailing her alleged encounter with Trump and her subsequent entry into the pornography business. Legal experts have questioned the relevance of her testimony to the current case and criticized its admission into the record.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial is expected to continue for several more weeks, with Cohen's testimony likely to play a pivotal role in the outcome.

The revelation of Trump's secret recording has sent shockwaves through the legal and political landscape. It remains to be seen how the jury will assess Cohen's credibility and whether the recording will ultimately impact the trial's verdict.