President Donald Trump stated he would "consider" a pardon for his former attorney, Michael Cohen. During a press interaction on Wednesday, Trump mentioned he had "never been asked that question" and reiterated his belief that Cohen had recanted his testimony in the New York fraud case against him. "If everything is checking out, it’s something I would consider," Trump said before leaving for the GOP midterm convention in Dallas. He described the treatment of Cohen as a disgrace, claiming that authorities forced him to make statements he did not want to make or believe. Trump acknowledged Cohen's late efforts to rectify the situation.
The relationship between Trump and Cohen deteriorated after the FBI raided Cohen’s home and office in 2018. A judge sentenced Cohen to three years in federal prison in November of that year related to a hush money scheme, while Trump remained in office. Recently, the two appear to have reconciled, with Trump appearing on Cohen’s radio show last month. On September 4, Trump asserted that Cohen "fully recanted his testimony," although Cohen has not formally retracted any specific claims made in legal or congressional contexts.
Cohen and Trump share a history of two decades, and Cohen was spotted at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas. Trump has previously referred to Cohen as a "convicted liar, felon and jailbird" after Cohen's testimony against him in Congress and during Trump's criminal trial. In 2019, Cohen expressed shame for participating in concealing Trump's actions and labeled the president a "racist," a "con man," and a "cheat" during his congressional testimony. Cohen also served as a key witness in Trump's 2024 criminal trial regarding hush money payments made to two women who alleged sexual encounters with Trump, stating that Trump directed him to handle the payments and was aware of the $130,000 payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.