Michael Cohen, who used to work for President Trump and then became his enemy, announced on Wednesday that he will stop making any comments about Trump until after he has given evidence in Trump's criminal trial in New York.
“Even though I am not the one who has been ordered to stay silent, I will not post anything about Donald on my X (previously known as Twitter) account or on the Mea Culpa Podcast until after I have testified at the trial, out of respect for Judge Merchan and the prosecutors,” he said on the social platform X. “I will be back in a month (or more).”
Recently, Cohen has posted several online attacks against Trump, using offensive language and teasing Trump about the judge's order to be quiet.
Trump has been forbidden from attacking witnesses, prosecutors, court staff, and the judge’s family, but he can still criticize Judge Merchan or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D).
Cohen, who previously worked as Trump’s personal lawyer, is expected to be an important witness for the Manhattan district attorney’s office in the case against Trump for allegedly falsifying business records to hide a payment to a porn actor before the 2016 election.
The payment in question was made by Cohen to Stormy Daniels, who said she had a relationship with Trump. The former president has denied the relationship and pleaded not guilty to 34 charges of falsifying business records.
During a hearing Tuesday over whether Trump violated the gag order, the former president’s attorneys argued there was “absolutely no willful violation” in 10 posts flagged by prosecutors. However, Trump should be allowed to defend himself against political attacks — even if they come from witnesses, they said.
“There is no dispute that President Trump is facing a barrage of political attacks from all sides, including from the two witnesses referenced in the early posts,” Trump attorney Todd Blanche said, referring to Cohen and Daniels.
Prosecutors with the district attorney’s office countered that “throwing ‘MAGA’ into a post doesn’t make it political” and that the former president’s attacks went too far.
Outside the courtroom Tuesday, Trump railed against the order as “a disgrace” and “totally unconstitutional.”
“I don’t believe it’s — not to this extent — ever happened before,” he said of the gag order. “I’m not allowed to talk, but people are allowed to say whatever they want about me. Very unfair.”
Cohen is expected to take the witness stand later in the trial to detail his role in the alleged “catch-and-kill” schemes that prosecutors say were meant to clear Trump’s path to the White House.
