President Donald Trump has stunned his own inner circle by sitting down for an interview with Michael Cohen, the former fixer whose testimony helped convict him. Insiders who spoke with New York Times correspondent Maggie Haberman say the reunion has left many in Trump’s orbit uneasy, even as others see a calculated upside for the president.
Maggie Haberman comments on how Donald Trump’s ‘world’ is feeling about Michael Cohen reunion
Haberman, on CNN, said Cohen had long occupied a unique place on Trump’s list of people he refuses to forgive. She explained that Trump rarely shuts anyone out permanently, but Cohen was the one exception she and others around Trump consistently pointed to.
“Trump really never closes the door on almost anyone entirely. Actually, I always said — and others in Trump’s world, who would say too when having this conversation — was except for Michael Cohen,” Haberman said. “That was because most people believed around Trump that there was just no way that Trump was ever going to get past that trial in 2024.”
She was referencing Cohen’s testimony that contributed to Trump’s 2024 New York criminal conviction. Despite that history, Donald Trump agreed to a 40-minute sit-down with Michael Cohen, set for full release later this week. A preview clip already shows Cohen addressing Trump as “sir” and “boss” while praising his second administration.
Haberman said the reaction inside Trump’s circle has been far less warm. “There are a number of people in Trump’s world, his staff, former staff, extended advisers, who are — even if they are staying silent about it — within Trump’s world, they’re not happy about this,” she said. “They feel like Cohen, with his various forms of testimony, caused a lot of problems for a bunch of other people.”
She added that aides are “kind of stunned” to see Trump appear on Cohen’s show, and noted an unexpected layer of sympathy from the president.
Haberman also previously pointed to a strategic motive within the White House. Some aides reportedly believe Cohen speaking publicly about the 2024 trial could aid Trump’s ongoing appeal.
