Donald Trump’s 2018 tweets defending a US$130,000 hush agreement with adult film actress Stormy Daniels were shown to jurors at his criminal trial ahead of potentially explosive testimony next week from Michael Cohen, the star prosecution witness who made the payment on Trump’s behalf.
In the tweets, displayed on screens in a New York courtroom on Friday, Trump says the deal to keep Daniels quiet about her claim of an affair is “very common among celebrities and people of wealth”.
Trump also tweeted that Cohen was reimbursed through a “monthly retainer”.
Cohen, 57, is expected to enter the witness box on Monday, according to a person familiar with the matter. Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass told the judge that the government may finish presenting evidence in the case next week.
On Friday, jurors saw a May 3, 2018, tweet in which the former president explained the reasons for the payment to Daniels.
“The agreement was used to stop the false and extortionist accusations made by her about an affair despite already having signed a detailed letter admitting that there was no affair,” Trump said in the social media post.
The tweets undercut efforts by Trump’s lawyers during the hush money trial to suggest to the jury that Cohen had acted alone when he arranged the payment, while suggesting that Trump signed the reimbursement checks to Cohen without knowing their purpose.
It is unclear how long Cohen will testify next week, according to a person who asked not to be identified because witness names have not been released in advance by prosecutors or the court.
Prosecutors with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office have been laying the groundwork for Cohen’s testimony, questioning witnesses and offering phone records and text messages related to the hush payment. Trump is accused of 34 counts of falsifying business records related to his reimbursement of Cohen.