Washington — In a surprising turn of events, President Donald Trump will appear Thursday on the radio program of Michael Cohen, the former personal attorney who once called the president a “Cheeto‑dusted cartoon villain.” The interview will be taped for Cohen’s 77 WABC show and aired Thursday evening and again on Sunday.
Background of the split
Cohen served time in prison after pleading guilty to lying to Congress about a Trump Tower project in Russia and to campaign‑finance violations tied to payments to adult‑film actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen MacDougal. His testimony in the 2024 criminal hush‑money trial helped secure a 34‑count felony conviction against Trump.
During that trial, Cohen described his actions as being done at the direction and for the benefit of Mr. Trump, and he detailed how the former president promised reimbursement for legal expenses and was kept informed about efforts to suppress damaging stories.
Signs of a truce
Since the trial, Cohen has repeatedly claimed he was pressured and coerced by prosecutors to provide testimony that would aid the government’s case. In a January Substack post, he wrote that he felt “pressured and coerced” to give information that satisfied the government’s desire for a conviction.
In a recent interview with CNN, Cohen described the upcoming radio conversation as a “doozy” but declined to discuss his prior criticism of Trump. He added, “I refuse to be pulled back into yesterday’s news and yesterday’s headline,” and later said, “The answer is that we forgave.”
Trump’s response
The White House has not commented on Cohen’s statements or confirmed the interview, though Trump’s official schedule shows a radio taping on Thursday morning. The president has not issued a public statement praising Cohen, but his recent social‑media posts have linked to Cohen’s claims that he felt pressured by prosecutors.
Both men have hinted at a renewed friendship. Cohen wrote in a long newsletter that despite a “political blood sport,” there were 15 years of close friendship between them, and he concluded, “We forgave.”
Context of reconciliation
The reunion follows a pattern of former Trump allies who fell out with the president but later returned to his good graces, such as Elon Musk and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The interview will likely focus on current political topics rather than past grievances, though the exact content remains unknown.
Observers note that the appearance underscores the president’s willingness to engage with former critics as he continues his political comeback after the 2024 conviction. It also highlights the ongoing debate over the credibility of witness testimony in high‑profile federal cases.
What’s next
The taped interview will be broadcast on Cohen’s radio show Thursday night and again on Sunday, offering listeners a rare glimpse of Trump speaking directly with a former attorney who once testified against him. The conversation may set the tone for future interactions between the president and other former allies who have publicly broken with him.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
