Opinion: Michael Cohen takes Trump trial past this critical threshold
CNNDEC 2023
Michael Cohen Testimony on Trump Allegations
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The Spin
It says something about the defense's desperation that instead of focusing on proving Trump didn't do the things he's accused of, Trump's lawyers built their questioning of Cohen around trying to undermine his credibility. But Cohen held his nerve, didn't do anything to blow up the case, and even came across as sympathetic to the jurors by bringing up his family. Trump's defense team has failed him.
It doesn't take much to throw doubt on Cohen's credibility; after all, he's a convicted perjurer. There's no way a jury can take anything this guys says seriously, and the only way Trump doesn't beat these politically-motivated, overblown charges is if the mostly Democratic jurors can't get over their own biases.
Metaculus Prediction
There's an 81% chance that Trump will be found guilty of any crime in the Manhattan case before Election Day 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
The Controversies
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© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0