Quick Hit:

Michael Cohen, Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg's supposed "star witness" in former President Donald Trump's "hush money" trial, was pressed on his past crimes and lies by the defense lawyers Thursday. Cohen, a convicted perjurer, left mainstream media outlets like CNN, "stunned" with some of his admissions—one of which included Cohen threatening to sic Secret Service on a 14-year-old child.

Key Details:

• Text messages presented in court contradicted Cohen's claim about a phone call with Trump regarding Stormy Daniels, showing it was actually about prank calls from a teenager.

• Recordings from Cohen's podcast were played, showcasing his delight at Trump's indictment and his desire for Trump to face imprisonment, suggesting personal vendetta as a motive.

• Cohen's admissions left mainstream media outlets "stunned," with CNN anchor Anderson Cooper calling the testimony, "incredible."

Diving Deeper:

The defense team for former President Donald Trump, led by lawyer Joe Blanche, intensified their attack on Michael Cohen during the 18th day of the Manhattan D.A.'s criminal case. Cohen, a convicted perjurer and former Trump attorney, faced relentless questioning aimed at discrediting his testimony and highlighting his past crimes and lies.

Blanche's questioning zeroed in on Cohen's plea deal in 2018 for campaign finance violations and tax evasion. Cohen admitted that prosecutors threatened to bring an 80-page indictment against his wife if he did not accept the plea deal within 48 hours; contradicting previous testimony that he had not been pressured or induced to accept the deal. " That was a lie?" Blanche asked, to which Cohen eventually responded, "That was not true, correct... that was a lie." Blanche also suggested that Cohen had lied to the judge in the hope of receiving a shorter sentence for his cooperation.

The defense's line of questioning grew increasingly aggressive, particularly over a key phone call in 2016. Cohen claimed the call was made to discuss the Stormy Daniels matter with Trump. However, text messages presented to the court showed Cohen had texted Trump's bodyguard, Keith Schiller, for advice on dealing with prank calls from a teenager.

“That was a lie,” Mr. Blanche told Cohen.” You were actually talking to Mr. Schiller that you were getting harassing phone calls from a 14-year-old...That. Was. A. Lie. You did not talk to President Trump," Blanche added.

In dealing with the teenager, Cohen also seemingly threatened the 14-year-old who texted Cohen, “Please don’t do this.” With Cohen responding, “Please have your parent or guardian contact me, before Secret Service reaches out to them."

 "That was a lie," Blanche declared, accusing Cohen of lying about the nature of the call. "You did not talk to President Trump."

Cohen insisted that the brief conversation with Trump did touch on the Stormy Daniels issue. However, the defense's strategy focused on portraying Cohen as a vengeful ex-employee seeking to harm Trump. They played excerpts from Cohen's podcast, where he expressed his joy at Trump's indictment and his hope that Trump would go to prison. "I truly f***ing hope he goes to prison," Cohen was recorded saying, emphasizing his personal vendetta.

The defense also brought up Cohen's disappointment at not being offered a White House job, suggesting this was another motive for his cooperation with prosecutors. Cohen maintained that he had no shame in being Trump's personal attorney and had always been clear about his intentions. "I could monetize that – which I did," he stated.

Trump appeared to support Blanche's aggressive defense strategy, giving a thumbs-up outside the courtroom when asked about his lawyer's performance.