Michael Cohen, Trump's former fixer, is testifying against him in the hush money trial

NEW YORK — Michael Cohen, known for being the ex-lawyer of Donald Trump, has taken the stand in the first criminal trial against the former president.

He is expected to bolster the prosecutors case that Trump falsified business records to pay off Stormy Daniels, the adult film star, with whom the former president is alleged to have had an affair.

Trump faces 34 felony counts alleging that he falsified New York business records to conceal damaging information to influence the 2016 presidential election. Trump, who pleaded not guilty, claims the trial itself is "election interference" because of how it is disrupting his 2024 bid for president. He must be present in court every day and thus, isn't able to campaign when he is.

This is the second trial that Cohen in which he has testified against Trump in front of Trump. Last fall he testified in a civil fraud trial, alleging that Trump inflated the value of his assets to land better business deals.

While on the witness stand on Monday, Cohen testified to the deal brokered between Trump, Cohen and the leadership at American Media Inc., to collaborate on positive stories about then-candidate Trump. He also testified to first hearing about two allegations about Trump — an unsubstantiated allegation that Trump had fathered an illegitimate child and an allegation that he had an affair with former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

Former Trump doorman was paid $30,000 to keep quiet about the child out-of-wedlock story, Cohen said, and Cohen reviewed the agreement. Then he testified about purchasing McDougal's story.

"We needed to acquire the story," Cohen testified about McDougal's story. Jurors viewed text messages between Cohen and leadership at the National Enquirer tabloid, and