'He knows the truth'
Ex-lawyer Cohen says Trump knew election-eve hush-money payments were wrong
President Donald Trump knew it was wrong to order election-eve hush money paid to two women who claimed to have had affairs with him, his former lawyer Michael Cohen said in an interview broadcast yesterday.
Trump acted because he "was very concerned about how this would affect the election," Cohen told ABC News of the women's allegations, in his first comments since being sentenced to three years in prison on Thursday.
Trump has said he never directed Cohen to break the law. But Cohen, asked if Trump knew the payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal were wrong, said "of course."
Cohen challenged Trump's assertion that he never told him to break the law.
"I don't think there is anybody that believes that," Cohen told George Stephanopoulos on the program "Good Morning America." ABC released excerpts of the interview ahead of its full airing.
"First of all, nothing at the Trump Organization was ever done unless it was run through Mr. Trump. He directed me to make the payments, he directed me to become involved in these matters," Cohen said.
"He knows the truth. I know the truth. Others know the truth," Cohen added.
"And here is the truth: People of the United States of America, people of the world, don't believe what he is saying. The man doesn't tell the truth. And it is sad that I should take responsibility for his dirty deeds," said Cohen.
Asked if he believed Trump was telling the truth about Russia's meddling in the US election, Cohen said "no" but he declined to comment further.