Will Michael Cohen's Key Testimony Impact The Trump Hush Money Trial?

Michael Cohen, the star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial, took the stand on Monday, with his testimony potentially shaping the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.

Cohen, Trump's former lawyer and personal fixer, is the most crucial witness for the Manhattan district attorney in this case.

His appearance signals that the trial is entering its final phase, with prosecutors indicating they may conclude presenting evidence by the end of the week. Cohen is expected to testify about his role in arranging hush money payments on Trump's behalf during his first presidential campaign, as reported by Indian Express citing AP.

This includes payments to porn actor Stormy Daniels, who informed jurors last week that the USD 130,000 she received in 2016 was intended to prevent her from publicly discussing a sexual encounter she claims to have had with Trump in a hotel suite a decade earlier.

Prosecutors have stated that the reimbursements Cohen received form the basis of the charges against Trump - 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. It is alleged that these reimbursements were logged as legal expenses to conceal the payments' true purpose.

Defence lawyers have prepared for a rigorous cross-examination of Cohen, informing jurors during opening statements that Cohen is an "admitted liar" with an "obsession to get President Trump," as per AP reports. The testimony of a witness with such intimate knowledge of Trump's activities could heighten the legal exposure of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee if jurors find Cohen credible.

However, politically, prosecutors' reliance on a witness with a checkered past - Cohen pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the payments and to lying to Congress - could be advantageous for Trump as he fundraises off his legal troubles and portrays the case as the product of a biased criminal justice system.

Cohen's role as the star prosecution witness further highlights the disintegration of a once-close, mutually beneficial relationship. This relationship was once so close that Cohen famously said he'd "take a bullet for Trump". After Cohen's home and office were raided by the FBI in 2018, Trump praised Cohen on social media, calling him a "fine person with a wonderful family" and predicting - incorrectly - that Cohen would not "flip".

However, months later, Cohen did exactly that, pleading guilty in August to federal campaign finance charges in which he implicated Trump. By that point, their relationship was irrevocably broken, with Trump posting on Twitter: "If anyone is looking for a good lawyer, I would strongly suggest that you don't retain the services of Michael Cohen!" Cohen later admitted to lying to Congress about a Moscow real estate project that he had pursued on Trump's behalf during the 2016 Republican campaign, stating that he lied to align with Trump's "political messaging".

Prosecutors are expected to elicit detailed testimony from Cohen about his past crimes in hopes of mitigating the impact of defence lawyers' questioning and demonstrating that they are not attempting to hide his misdeeds. However, it remains unclear how effective this strategy will be, given that defence lawyers are likely prepared to exploit all the challenges associated with a witness like Cohen.

Besides portraying Cohen as untrustworthy, defence lawyers are also expected to depict him as vindictive, vengeful, and agenda-driven. Since their fallout, Cohen has emerged as a relentless critic of