On Thursday evening, former President Donald Trump was a guest on Michael Cohen’s radio show on New York’s 77 WABC. The interview, which aired in part on Thursday and will be broadcast in full on Sunday, was notable for its unusually cordial tone given the two men’s fraught history.
From fixer to foe and back again
Michael Cohen, who served three years in federal prison for campaign‑finance violations and lying to Congress about a Trump Tower project in Russia, had previously testified at Trump’s 2024 criminal hush‑money trial. His testimony helped secure a 34‑count felony conviction against the former president. Cohen also testified in a 2023 civil fraud case in New York, where a jury found Trump and his companies liable for inflating the value of assets.
During the radio conversation, Trump praised Cohen’s recent statements, saying, “They weaponized you like nobody’s ever been weaponized… I respect the fact that you recanted everything you said.” The former president added that he appreciated Cohen’s willingness to move past the prior disputes.
Cohen’s path to reconciliation
In a recent Substack post, Cohen claimed he testified under pressure from prosecutors and has since criticized the government’s handling of the cases. He also noted that he had resubmitted a pardon application to the White House, which had been denied by the prior administration, and was awaiting a response.
When introducing the interview, Cohen emphasized that forgiveness does not erase history, stating, “Forgiveness isn’t about erasing history… it is about having the courage to decide that yesterday will no longer dictate tomorrow.” He recalled his earlier loyalty, saying, “Boss, remember when I was by your side.”
Context of the reunion
The truce follows a pattern of former Trump allies who have fallen out with the former president but later returned to his circle, such as Elon Musk and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Cohen’s public apology and acknowledgment of past mistakes appear to have paved the way for this renewed dialogue.
Trump has not made any formal public statements about Cohen prior to the interview, though he has linked to Cohen’s comments on social media, noting the former lawyer’s claims of pressure from prosecutors.
Legal background
In the 2024 hush‑money trial, Cohen testified that Trump directed payments to adult‑film actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal to silence them during the 2016 campaign. Cohen also described his role as acting at Trump’s direction to manage the fallout from those payments.
Although Cohen was convicted of lying to Congress and campaign‑finance violations, he received no additional prison time beyond his original sentence. He has since expressed remorse for his role in the investigations and has sought to rebuild his relationship with Trump.
What’s next?
Cohen said he will follow up on his pardon request with the White House. The interview’s full broadcast is scheduled for Sunday, and both men indicated that the conversation was a step toward moving beyond past grievances while acknowledging that the history remains.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
