Former Donald Trump attorney Michael Cohen said he is sure that the former president will end up in jail amid a series of legal troubles he is currently facing.
What Happened: Cohen on Monday discussed Trump’s legal challenges in an interview with CNN after the ex-president’s elder son, Donald Trump Jr., appeared in the former president’s civil fraud trial in New York.
The host asked Cohen, “Do you think Donald Trump deserves to go to jail?”
“The answer is he needs to be held accountable. And do I believe if it was anyone else, that that individual would already be in prison or jail? The answer is emphatically yes,” he replied.
“But because he was the former president of the United States and for four years he was debriefed on a daily basis our national security secrets. I personally, as an American citizen, I would be concerned. And because Donald is the kind of guy that would sell any of that information for, like, a bag of tuna. Right. Or a book of stamps. And I do really mean that. It’s dangerous for America to have somebody like Donald Trump in an environment where he can share information. Look, he’s already shared it with members of Mar-a-Lago as well as other individuals who came to visit. So why would he not do it if it would benefit him somehow, in some way, in a prison situation?,” he added.
When asked what could be the way out to ensure that American national secrets are secure while Trump is also held accountable for his wrongdoings, Cohen said, “A very significant home confinement scenario where he doesn’t have people coming in, going at leisure? He’s certainly going to have to fund the Bureau of Prisons to ensure that there’s a guard that’s there watching the property. His phones would be monitored. There wouldn’t be computer access.”
Why It Matters: The trial, which may extend into mid-December, continues to draw attention to the Trump family's handling of their financial affairs.
The case against the former president revolves around a high-profile civil fraud accusation lodged by the state of New York. The outcome could have far-reaching consequences for the Trump family's business empire, with potential penalties and operational bans at stake.
This came after Cohen earlier this month accused Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump of lying under oath during their depositions. In a separate interview with MSNBC, he criticized Eric's claim of pouring concrete and operating properties, stating, "Eric has never poured concrete in his life."
Last month, Cohen also testified against Trump in a New York courtroom. Cohen said that the ex-president had asked him to "increase the total assets based upon a number that he arbitrarily elected."
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