Michael Cohen’s brazen plea to Trump as president reunites with jailed former fixer after spectacular bust-up
Donald Trump and his former lawyer Michael Cohen have publicly reconciled after years of bitter feuding, appearing together for a friendly interview on Cohen's radio show. The reunion marks a striking turnaround in a relationship that turned toxic after Cohen testified against Trump in criminal and civil cases stemming from hush-money payments, having previously described his one-time boss as a "Cheeto-dusted cartoon villain" while Trump branded him a "sleaze bag" and a "rat".
Part of the interview aired on Cohen's 77 WABC show, with the full version due on Sunday, and saw Trump praise Cohen for recanting his earlier claims while Cohen reminisced about his 15 years as a trusted aide. Trump also claimed he would win a hypothetical third term "by 25 points", while Cohen revealed he has resubmitted a pardon application to the White House after an earlier one was rejected, and has yet to receive a response. Cohen, who served prison time over his role in the affair, framed the rapprochement as forgiveness rather than forgetting, joining other former Trump allies such as Elon Musk and Ron DeSantis who have patched up public rifts with the president.
- Trump and Michael Cohen reconcile after years of public feuding.
- Cohen has resubmitted a White House pardon application, awaiting reply.
- Trump claims he'd win a third term "by 25 points".
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Michael Cohen once worked as Donald Trump's personal lawyer and self-styled "fixer," handling sensitive legal and business matters for him for years. Their relationship broke down after Cohen became a key witness against Trump in legal proceedings and was later jailed himself over related matters, making the two men bitter adversaries in public.
The pair's split was widely seen as one of the most dramatic fallings-out among Trump's former inner circle, given how close and trusted Cohen once was. Any reunion between them is therefore notable, since it marks a striking shift after years of public animosity, legal battles and mutual criticism.
This matters because Cohen's testimony and cooperation with investigators played a significant role in cases involving Trump, so a reconciliation, or any renewed contact, could carry political and legal significance beyond the personal relationship between the two men.