Here’s 9 Biggest Bombshells From Michael Cohen’s Testimony, in Trump’s Own Words

Cohen Quotes Trump’s Most Embarrassing Admissions in a Devastating Testimony

Michael Cohen made a concerted effort to exclude Donald Trump from the hush-money payments that he arranged for adult film actress Stormy Daniels. However, in the testimony he delivered under oath on May 13 during Trump's criminal trial, Cohen put Trump in the room, Business Insider reported. Trump's lawyer-turned-opponent provided jurors with direct quotes from his former employer, detailing pivotal instances in which the billionaire-turned-presidential candidate actively took part in an elaborate scheme to silence Daniels before the 2016 election. The Manhattan district attorney's office has charged Trump with forging 34 documents, including checks with his signature, to conceal a $130,000 hush-money payment. Here are nine bombshell instances from Cohen's testimony where he damaged Trump severely by merely recounting what he said were Trump's own words:

1. “Just Be Prepared, There’s Going To Be a Lot of Women Coming Forward”

Trump declared to Cohen that he would run for president in 2015, per CNN. "You know when this comes out," Cohen said, quoting Trump talking about the announcement, "just be prepared — there's going to be a lot of women coming forward." Cohen then met with American Media Inc. (AMI) publisher David Pecker in Trump Tower at that time to talk about promoting favorable stories about Trump, and to receive heads-up for unfavorable news that may harm the campaign. "What he said was that he could keep an eye out for anything negative about Mr. Trump and that he would be able to help us know in advance what was coming out and to try to stop it from coming out," Cohen testified.

2. “That’s Fantastic, That’s Unbelievable”

The discussion with Pecker went well. Several complimentary articles promoting Trump and sensationalized pieces criticizing his opponents were published by The National Enquirer. It said that Marco Rubio went on a "drug binge" with several men in a swimming pool, that Ted Cruz's father was seen hanging out with Lee Harvey Oswald, and that Hillary Clinton wore "very thick glasses" to support a conspiracy theory of brain damage. Cohen testified that Trump was ecstatic. "That's fantastic. That's unbelievable," Cohen quoted Trump as saying, confirming the prosecution's theory that Trump was deeply involved in the "catch-and-kill" scheme.

3. “Make Sure It Doesn’t Get Released”

AMI called Cohen in June 2016 to inform him that Karen McDougal, a former Playboy playmate, was spreading a rumor that she had an affair with Trump. Trump remarked, "She's really beautiful," when Cohen informed him about it. "Okay. But there is a story that's right now being shopped," Cohen retorted. Cohen claims that Trump told him to "make sure it doesn't get released," giving him the go-ahead to collaborate with Pecker and the editor of the National Enquirer to buy the rights to McDougal's story and then ensure that it never saw the light of day.

4. “Do It. Take Care of It.”

Long before Trump entered the 2011 presidential election on the Republican ticket, Cohen helped persuade TheDirty.com, another gossip website, to remove an item that included Daniels and Trump. Trump requested that the story be removed. Cohen said, "I said I'll take care of it," in court. "He said, 'Absolutely, do it, take care of it.'" The thing Trump chose not to mention to Cohen is maybe the most incriminating. Cohen claimed he questioned Trump about whether he and Daniels had had sex, but Trump refused to answer. "He turned around and said that she was a beautiful woman," Cohen said.

5. “Women Will Hate Me. Guys, They’ll Think It’s Cool.”

From 2011 until a large portion of 2016, Daniels did not appear in Trump's life at all. Weeks before the election, soon after The Washington Post published the Access Hollywood tapes, she was set to reveal facts about their relationship. Cohen also testified that Trump acknowledged his bad polling with women and was aware of the harm Daniels' tale could cause to his election — a significant element for prosecutors attempting to persuade jurors that Trump sought to conceal Daniels' story for his own campaign. Trump, furiously, slammed Cohen, saying, "I thought you had this under control. I thought you took care of this." He added, saying, "This was a disaster. A total disaster. Women are going to hate me. This is a real disaster. Women will hate me. Guys, they'll think it was cool."

6. “Meet up With Allen Weisselberg and Figure This Whole Thing Out”

Cohen stated in court that during a conversation about a potential hush-money agreement with Daniels in mid-October 2016, Trump instructed Cohen to consult with Allen Weisselberg, the chief financial officer of the Trump Organization at the time, to resolve the matter. "Meet up with Allen Weisselberg and figure this whole thing out," Cohen said Trump told him, adding, "Just pay it. There's no reason to keep this thing out there."

7. “If I Win, It Has No Relevance Because I’m President. And if I Lose, I Don’t Even Care.”

When it was time to write Daniels a check, Trump didn't really want to give her anything. Cohen claimed that Trump intended to defer the payment until after the election in November 2016, at which point he believed it would have no bearing. "If I win, it has no relevance because I'm president," Cohen quoted from Trump. "And if I lose, I don't even care." Adding a crucial detail for prosecutors, Cohen testified, "He [Donald] wasn't thinking about Melania. This was all about the campaign." 

8. “Good. Good. Don’t Worry You’ll Get It Back”

Cohen would ultimately take out a home equity loan to borrow the money and make the payment himself. Records entered into evidence during the trial show that he would transfer the money to Daniels' attorney just 11 days before the election. Trump promised Cohen he would get his money back when he found out via Weisselberg and Cohen that his former fixer would pay Daniels $130,000. Cohen claimed, "Allen and I spoke to Mr. Trump," Cohen said. "And we expressed to him that I was going to front the money for it." Trump "was appreciative," and said in response, "Good. Good. Don't worry, you'll get it back."

9. “Don’t Worry About That Other Thing.”

Cohen claimed that when the then-president-elect failed to give him his anticipated holiday bonus in December 2016, he was furious. Cohen said to the jury, "I used quite a few expletives" in his complaint to Weisselberg. "I was, even for myself, unusually angry." Following some awkward small talk, Trump reassured him over the phone, saying, "Don't worry about that other thing. I'm going to take care of it when I get back." Trump promised Cohen, "We'll take care of it when we all get back."