Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Michael Cohen Went Off On Donald Trump During His Sentencing Hearing, and It Was Savage AF

Michael Cohen Went Off On Donald Trump During His Sentencing Hearing, and It Was Savage AF
(Photos by Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images and Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images)

Whoa.

Former personal lawyer and fixer for President Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, learned his fate Wednesday after pleading guilty to eight charges as part of an investigation led by the Department of Justice Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY).

As is customary in a sentencing hearing, the defendant may make a statement to the court on their own behalf and Cohen had plenty to say. And most of it was about his former boss, President Trump.


Trump's former go-to guy for fixing problems—like payments to porn stars and models who alleged extramarital affairs with Trump—stated:

"Today is the day I get my freedom back [because I have been mentally incarcerated] ever since I accepted work from a famous business mogul."

Senior United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, William H. Pauley III, also mentioned the President in his ruling.

Judge William Pauley stated regarding Cohen:

"[He] lost his moral compass and sought to monetize his newfound influence."

Cohen—the man who once stated he would take a bullet for Trump—told the court:

"[I plead guilty I was] ensuring history will not remember me as the villain of this story."

Cohen also noted the President made public statements about him on Twitter after the lawyer and confidante for Trump for 12 years decided to tell the truth regarding the evidence the FBI and Department of Justice gathered.

Cohen also spoke about Trump's tweet calling for the maximum sentence for him for crimes that also implicate the President himself. But Cohen also acknowledged he followed the illegal directives from his employer of his own free will.

Beyond any implications for the President based on what came out of the investigation and prosecution of his personal lawyer, other parties have concerns as well.

From 2017 to 2018, Cohen was deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC). Cohen's charges include campaign finance violations.

So what does all of this mean for President Trump? In addition to his role as Trump's personal counsel, Cohen also served as a vice-president of the Trump Organization and previously served as co-president of Trump Entertainment and was a board member of the Eric Trump Foundation.

People can only speculate what the fallout will be for the RNC and the Trump family and business.

Cohen's lawyer, Guy Petrillo, also pointed to the President in his defense of Cohen.

And one statement seemed to particularly target Trump's business record of bankruptcy in order to avoid repayment of loans from numerous banks.

Cohen received 3 years or 36 months for his crimes. It has not yet been revealed who else may be charged thanks to Cohen's cooperation.

More from People/donald-trump

Donald Trump
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

The Trump Administration's New Dime Design Is Missing A Very Telling Detail—And Yeah, That Tracks

President Donald Trump's administration is weathering criticism after it removed an important detail from the new U.S. dime that is being released this year.

The Emerging Liberty Dime, introduced late last year, replaces the long-standing image of Franklin D. Roosevelt that traditionally appeared on the front of the dime. It also removes the familiar reverse imagery of a torch flanked by an olive branch and an oak branch.

Keep ReadingShow less
A split screen of a man confronting a woman on an airplane, and the same woman being escorted off by security
@jcmack03/TikTok

Woman Has Full Meltdown When Airport Security Escorts Her Off Plane For Watching Videos Without Headphones

Traveling by plane can be stressful, what with checking in, going through security, and getting a spot in the overhead bin for your luggage.

Then there is the unpredictability of who will be sitting next to you on your flight. Many people's hearts drop when they see they will be sitting next to a baby or an infant, who is bound to make noise during the trip.

Keep ReadingShow less
Katherine Heigl
Manny Hernandez/Getty Images

Katherine Heigl Addresses Backlash From Fans After Attending Pet Charity Event At Mar-A-Lago

Katherine Heigl's career has been ridden with scandal ever since allegations about her conduct on the set of Grey's Anatomy back in the 2000s.

But in later years she had amassed a great deal of goodwill by owning up to her behavior and also speaking openly about the often sexist ways the scandal was talked about at the time.

Keep ReadingShow less
Denver Airport Sparks Debate After Asking For Financial Support For Unpaid TSA Agents Amid Partial Shutdown
Annabelle Gordon/AFP via Getty Images

Denver Airport Sparks Debate After Asking For Financial Support For Unpaid TSA Agents Amid Partial Shutdown

Denver International Airport (DEN) is asking travelers to donate grocery and gas gift cards to help Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents who are working without pay during the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown that began in mid February.

The shutdown stems from the 2026 DHS budget appropriation still being unapproved by Congress and the expiration of their continuing resolution authority (CRA) which funded their operations until it lapsed. This weekend, TSA workers missed their first full paycheck.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Donald Trump and Melania Trump
@atrupar/X

Melania Mocked After Praising Herself As A 'Visionary' In Bizarre Speech

First Lady Melania Trump was widely mocked after she praised herself as a "visionary" while speaking at a Women's History Month event at the White House on Thursday.

The First Lady praised women who are "finding unique ways to balance careers, ambition, and family"—yet still found the time to congratulate herself while promoting her recent documentary.

Keep ReadingShow less