Secret is skechers patented a Wave Technology that gently massage is here but with every step Skechers Massage that sandals out front next quote, just do it. Michael cohen testifying, trump ordered him to make the Hush Money Payments the Stormy Daniels wasnt enough to prove the prosecutions case today. Plus Breaking News this our israel has amassed enough troops to launch a fullscale bayesian into rafah this despite President Biden telling out front that israel will not get more Offensive Weapons from the United States if it does that and the mystery is deepening over the littleknown governor who suddenly flying on trumps private jet showing up at rallies and fundraisers. Is he going to be trumps vp . Lets go out front good evening. Im Erin Burnett Outfront tonight. Its make or break in the donald trump Hush Money Trial. This is what it comes down to the crucial testimony of trumps former fixer, Michael Cohen, who finally took the stand today. Sitting just 15 feet away from the man that he once said hed take a bullet for the man for whom he actually went to prison for donald j. Trump, who cohen without emotion now refers to as mr. Trump. Now the importance of cohens testimony and all of this cannot be overstated. This is what the case is all about. He is the only person who can testify about what is at the heart of the case. And that is trumps direct involvement in the alleged conspiracy to falsify the Business Records in order to pay Stormy Daniels, not whether the affair happened. None of that falsifying the Business Records now the testimony was intense today, cohen rarely looked in the direction of trump. He said the former president and started him to pay daniels 130,000, quote, just do it. He recalled trump saying and just before cohen went to the bank on october 26, he testified that he called trump again. He said, quote, i wanted to ensure that once again he approved what i was doing because i require approval from him on all of this everything required, mr. Trump signoff on top of that i wanted the money back and they pointed to crucial documents showing the call log saying that trump and cohen spoke twice on that day before that llc was set up . Trump for the most part, leaned back as cohen spoke, his eyes were closed. And now familiar stance by the former president. Now i spoke to cohen about this case many times here on this show back in february, he was adamant that his testimony when he took the stand and he has been ready to do so for a long time now would help Convict Trump i would say at best it would be a fourweek case my understanding is that on the trump side, they only have one witness and maybe theres ten on the prosecution sayyed, this case could and should be over in a month with a decision and do you have any question about whether hell be convicted . Oh, i believe based upon the information that i know and based upon not just the documentary evidence, but the corroborating testimony from so many people, i believe that he will be found guilty on all charges. Now cohen beliefs trump will be found guilty on all charges. But keep in mind this was the first time today that those two have been in the same room since trumps Civil Fraud Trial Or Trump was ordered to pay more than 450 million. Cohen was key then, just like he is key now and this is what cohen told me when i asked him what it was like that time to see trump up close i felt nothing. It was so weird that here i am sitting directly across from donald trump and i felt absolutely nothing i looked at him and i said to myself, boy, what a said looking, pathetic, deflated individual. He thought he was going to intimidate harass me with that scowling look and absolutely nothing now for months, cohen has been on the attack goading trump, appearing on tiktok. He had called out the president. He was wearing a tshirt, the chose trump behind bars at one point, taking on trump and his support heres the funny part. Yes. They dont even they dont even know what it is that theyre trolling about when they start trolling that, you know, youre on your under a gag order, right . Lol youre not no, not im not the defendant in any case right now he is not the defendant. Now. He has more recently been much more reticent and his comments. And when the defense is able to crossexamine cohen, though, they are going to come heart, theyre going to come card with everything. Theyve got. Keep in mind, cohen is someone who he was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion, Making False Statements to a federally insured bank and Campaign Finance violations. He says that was of course, on the furtherance of trumps and goals. But this is what theyre going to hit on crossexamination the question is what the jury will believe, is there a reasonable doubt . Paula reid is out front live outside the new york courthouse to begin our coverage tonight. As always, paulette and intense de on the stand, right . This is what it all comes down to. What Michael Cohen has to say. The documents that support what he has to say, and the prosecution isnt done with cohen yet. Thats exactly right, aaron. And so far cohen has come across as quite credible, but they are just at the end of today beginning to get into the alleged crime, which is the falsifying Business Records and then prosecutors are going to have to walk cohen through some pretty uncomfortable material, including his multiple convictions and then his years of attacks on the defendant the prosecutions most anticipated it witness, Michael Cohen, taking the stand in Donald Trumps criminal Hush Money Trial, repaid or lawyer a Legal Expense. We believe expense is a league with friends its marked down in the book Legal Expense facing his former boss, cohen spoke about his ten years working as trumps attorney and fixer while trump sat back in his chair closing his eyes, not reacting to cohens testimony. Cohen said he enjoyed working for trump and whenever he received direct praise or completing a task, he felt like he was on Top Of The World cohen told the court that when trump was mulling are run for the presidency in 2015, trump warned cohen, you know, that when this comes out, meaning the announcement, just be prepared fair. Theres going to be a lot of women coming forward. Cohen claim that just weeks before the 2016 election, the editor of the National Enquirer told cohen Stormy Daniels wanted to sell her story about having an affair with trump, which cohen said would have been catastrophic and horrible for trumps campaign. Cohen said trump got angry with him when they spoke about the Stormy Daniels story. I told him that one of the things that we need to do is obviously take care of it. Trump allegedly responded absolutely. Do it. Take care of it. Cohen testified that it was his idea to include a punitive damages clause in the daniels deal to ensure that she didnt speak. Cohen said trump told him to drag the daniels payment out as long as possible. In fact preferably until after the election because if i win, it will have no relevance because im president. And if i lose, i dont even care and he added this damning allegation. He wasnt thinking about melania. This was all about the Campaign Cohen walked the court through the process of creating several llcs in order to Transfer Payment to Daniels Cohen had to front the money himself and used a Home Equity Line of credit because it was paperless. So he could hide it from his wife. I was doing everything i could and more to protect my boss which is something that i had done for a long time cohen testified that on october 28, he immediately called trump after daniel signed the agreement, telling him that this this matter is now completely under control and locked down cohen said in early 2017, he tried to get repaid for the money he fronted to daniels and needed Trump Organization cfo, Allen Weisselbergs input for questions about taxes cohen said he would be reimbursed over the course of the next 12 months, disguising the payment as like a Legal Service rendered since i was then going to be given the title of personal attorney to the president. Theres no fraud theres no bryan here. Cohen will be back on the stand at tomorrow and likely for the rest of this week, which is only three full court days. Sources telling me that the eventual crossexamination of cohen, which will be done by trumps lead attorney todd blanche. It will be as long if not longer than prosecutors direct questioning. Aaron. We will see what happens here. Are all right. Thank you very much, paula. Our experts are all here tonight. A norm. You were in court today. Youve been in court every day of this entire trial. Okay. So when they last week, you had said on thursday, theres not quite proof beyond a reasonable doubt, yet of trumps Criminal Intent did cohen provide that today . Aaron cohen took the prosecution across that rubicon that every pot prosecutor has to cross at some point in a case by describing Donald Trumps direct personal involvement in both halves of this case. Remember, its intent to conceal, cover up, or commit another crime. Plus the creation of false documents that makes these Felony Document Falsification here, cohen did both because he explained how donald trump had been intimately involved in directing the campaign alleged Campaign Finance and election violations, and Tax Violations that came up in depth today. And also we ended the de on the meeting with perhaps the most important evidence in this case, Allen Weisselbergs handwritten notes, Michael Cohens handwritten notes of the grossed up amount gross up, and the meeting with donald trump to confirm it. I dont think anybody in that courtroom believed that Michael Cohen would have done all that on his own, did they provide though the evidence to go along with it that was not just what Michael Cohen said i think they have it. So theres a lot of evidence here in the record and including call logs that are almost impossible to explain. Another way. So some of the most important call logs are october 7, the access Hollywood Tape breaks, october 8 the National Enquirer is trying to do a Hush Money Deal with Stormy Daniels lawyer. And then what do you have in the evening . But david pecker having a twominute conversation with Michael Cohen within three minutes of that Michael Cohen calls donald trump for eight minutes. Whats going on at the time that that Michael Cohen opens the bank account and then he makes the transfer the next day that early morning. Who is he on the phone with . Donald trump. So all of this is starting to be very corroborative of Michael Cohens testimony. So as of today, itll holds together its call after call africa paul at these crucial moments, its not just once its time after time. I mean, Terry In Court today where youve been every day as well what obviously this case hangs on cohen, if not what he says, but these corroborating documents, call logs, whatever it may be, what was your impression of him as a witness . Oh, i thought he was excellent. I actually think hes one of the best witnesses so far. He was cool, calm, and collected beyond that, he was very respectful when he was getting questioned. He always said back to hoffinger. Maam, i think that jury probably got a good impression of him and like norm said, he put all the evidence in addition to the paul logs. We have the checks, the invoices, the vouchers all of that is lana chart and the jury can see that. And so everything that Michael Cohen said has been corroborated by all of the other evidence and he connected those dots and obviously theres going to be more on direct, never mind cross, which theyve promised. Well go as just as long which i want to ask about, but stephanie, when you see trumps reaction today, obviously in court, he was listening or his eyes were closed, but he was irate afterwards when he spoke to the cameras. I rate more so than we have seen him thus far after any other day in core what do you read into that in terms of his ability to keep his composure in that courtroom i think that he probably saw the News Coverage after Stormy Daniels was was up on the stand and his reaction was covered pretty widely and it wasnt it wasnt favorably. Im sure hes loyal heres talk to him. Im sure his Family Members talk to him and said, you know, you cannot be acting out when Michael Cohen is there. And i think probably to it was an ego thing. I doubt he wanted to show michel any kind of a reaction then yes magen that right when he got out of that courtroom, he wanted to burst and couldnt wait until he got to the suburban. And of course, had to give the media show so norm, what did you notice about trumps reaction to cohen in court . Well trump has the most vigorous reactions when melania is mentioned and when there was that very telling discussion that i think really proves this was a payment that was intended for the campaign where trump said, collin said to him a question, im about the payment and the delay. And trump said luck if im president , i wont care. And if im not president , i wont care. So try to delay it and then cohen says, and this is when trump reactant. Cohen says, well, what about melania . And trump responded, i wont be on the market for long trump grimaced. He tilted his head. I actually thought he was napping, but as soon as melania was mentioned, i pivoted over and he did have that reaction. He held himself back though. It was not the violent reaction when stormy said when he was yeah. Yeah, separate rooms. And so stefani, let me ask you about the exact quote, at least that we have it as cohen testified about, the Stormy Daniels story. So theyre having conversation. Cohen says he and trump about it. And cohen testifies that trump says, how long do you think i will be on the market for not long you said stephanie a few weeks ago when you and i were talking that there were certain moments of this trial that may be very significant for trump. Trumps life, for his marriage was this one of them yeah, absolutely. Look, i think there are two things can be true at the same time and could Melania Trump be angry right now about all of this being out there at about their personal lives. And its humiliating absolutely. On a personal level. But yes, she knew who she married. And i think that that comment to Michael Cohen ring absolutely true shes happy, shes got a very good life. Shes not going anywhere. Thats been proven. And so i absolutely believe you said Something Like that to Michael Cohen ryan on that point though the point and we know this is going to happen across, but there are even trying to bring it up under direct because they want cohen a chance to respond to it, and that is whether this is all about revenge and trying to bring down a man for whom he did serve time in prison. So they talk about how hes angry. Trump cut is bonus. Theyre talking about hes angry, he didnt get a job or was even considered for one of the administration which was of deep shame to him. And the anger continues today. Hes on tiktok showing trump behind bars, right. So this is going to come up some under direct and a lot under crossexaminati on, right. Theyre gonna emphasize this heavily. How hard is it going to be for the process . Solution to convince just one juror, remember, but thats what this is about. Anger and revenge i think this is the difficulty for the prosecution and this is where the defense is going to have the greatest vulnerability. And Michael Cohen, because its not just that hes a convicted liar and a liar to all three branches of government. But he also has a motive to lie in this case, the motive is revenge. Retribution, and have probably thousands of hours of tape of Michael Cohen and various podcasts and the like. And if he ever says things like, i want him behind bars or Something Like that, thatll probably be played by the defense so thats what they have to go on at some level. Michael cohens Character Flaws are also a strength for the prosecution. So hope hicks says, this is a guy who would never pay 130,0