Witness says Cohen dreamed of White House job despite denying ambitions in House testimony

Michael Cohen returns to the courthouse after a break to resume trial where he is testifying against former US President Donald Trump in New York City on October 24, 2023. (ALEX KENT/AFP via Getty Images)

A witness in the NY v. Trump case in Manhattan testified that former Trump attorney Michael Cohen wanted a job in the 45th president’s administration, despite previously denying wanting a White House role during congressional testimony. 

Keith Davidson, an attorney who represented former pornographic actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, continued his testimony before the court Thursday, when he said that Cohen had been hopeful that he would land a position as White House chief of staff or attorney general in the lead-up to Trump’s inauguration. 

Davidson also recounted that Cohen had been upset he was "not going to Washington" following Trump’s win in 2016. 

"Can you f---ing believe I’m not going to Washington after everything I’ve done for that guy? I can’t believe I’m not going to Washington… I’ve saved his a--…," Davidson recounted of a conversation he had had with a "despondent and saddened Michael Cohen" in December following the 2016 election. 

Davidson testified that Cohen had called him while shopping in a California store memorably decorated with an "Alice in Wonderland"-type theme. 

The NY v. Trump case focuses on Cohen paying Daniels $130,000 to allegedly quiet her claims of an alleged extramarital affair she had with Trump in 2006. Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels.

Cohen lamented to Davidson in the December call that he had not yet been reimbursed for the sum he had paid Daniels, according to Davidson’s testimony. 

Prosecutors allege that the Trump Organization reimbursed Cohen and fraudulently logged the payments as legal expenses. Prosecutors are working to prove that Trump falsified records with the intent to commit or conceal a second crime, which is a felony, in violation of a New York law called "conspiracy to promote or prevent election."

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.