Cohen-Trump Row: Recordings of lawyer Michael Cohen and United States President Donald Trump Conversation Secretly Revealed

Washington, July 25: A secret audio recording of then-US presidential candidate Donald Trump with his recently estranged lawyer Michael Cohen speaking in 2016 about making a payment to Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal has been obtained by CNN. In the tape obtained by the channel network on Tuesday both Trump and Cohen discuss a transfer of money to a company for “info regarding our friend David” — an apparent reference to David Pecker, the CEO of American Media Inc. which owns the National Enquirer. The audio, made in September of 2016, is the first evidence that Trump knew about the payment.

“I need to open up a company for the transfer of all of that info regarding our friend David,” Cohen said in the recording. Trump interrupts Cohen asking: “What financing?” Cohen then tells Trump, “We’ll have to pay” and Trump is heard saying “pay with cash”. Cohen is heard saying “no no no”. American Media, Inc. allegedly spent $150,000 in August of 2016 for a story from Karen McDougal, the playmate who claimed she had a 10-month affair with Trump. (IANS)