Tape reveals Trump discussed payment to Playboy model
Two months before the 2016 election, Donald Trump and his former lawyer discussed plans for “hush money” payments to a former Playboy model alleging she had an affair with Mr Trump, according to a secretly recorded tape of the conversation released amid an escalating feud between the president and his long-time personal attorney.
The audio recording, secretly made by Mr Trump’s former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, appears to contradict the Trump campaign’s later claim that Mr Trump knew nothing about payments to the model, Karen Mcdougal.
The tape captures the soonto-be president and his lawyer discussing logistics of financing, though lawyers for the two men have disputed what was said.
The tape was provided to broadcaster CNN by Mr Cohen’s attorney, Lanny Davis, and signals a new level of open hostility between the president and the man who once described himself as Mr Trump’s “fixer”.
Mr Cohen is under investigation for potential bank fraud and campaign finance violations. Mr Davis said Mr Cohen “will someday speak the truth about Donald Trump”.
The taped conversation between Mr Trump and Mr Cohen happened just weeks after the National Enquirer’s parent company reached a $150,000 (about £114,000) deal to pay Ms Mcdougal for her story of a 2006 affair, which it then didn’t publish.
The men appear to be discussing buying the rights to Ms Mcdougal’s story from the Enquirer’s parent company, American Media Inc. Mr Trump’s lawyers say the payments were never made.
Mr Cohen can be heard on the tape saying that he needed to start a company “for the transfer of all of that info regarding our friend David,” a possible reference to David Pecker, Mr Trump’s friend and president of American Media.
When Mr Cohen begins to discuss financing, Mr Trump interrupts him and asks: “What financing?”
“We’ll have to pay,” Mr Cohen responded.
Mr Trump can be heard saying “pay with cash,” though it isn’t clear if he is suggesting to pay with cash or not to pay with cash. Mr Cohen immediately says, “No, no, no” and Mr Trump can then be heard saying, “Check.”
Mr Davis said he released the tape because his client has been smeared in the press and wanted to set the record straight. He noted Mr Trump does not appear to be learning about the Ms Mcdougal matter for the first time.
The FBI raided Cohen’s office, home and hotel room in April, searching in part for information about payments to Mcdougal. A dozen audio recordings seized were forwarded to federal prosecutors last week.