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Donald Trump's former attorney, Michael Cohen, has expressed different feelings on a possible arrest of the former president, amid a looming indictment.
Trump is expected to be indicted by the Manhattan District Attorney's office this week. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has been investigating Trump for alleged hush money payments he previously made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. In 2018, Cohen was sentenced to prison after admitting to violating campaign finance laws connected to the payments made to Daniels.
Over the past several weeks, Trump and Cohen have continued to criticize each other over social media. However, Cohen has made several comments recently about a potential arrest of the former president and how he expects it to happen.
On March 15, Cohen spoke outside of a New York City courthouse after testifying in front of a grand jury and said, "At the end of the day, Donald Trump needs to be held accountable for his dirty deeds if in fact that's the way that the facts play out."
"Plain and simple, this is not about him, this is about holding accountability, truth to power, and everything else in between," Cohen added.
On Sunday, Cohen spoke further about a potential arrest of Trump and appeared to have a different take. While speaking with MSNBC's Alex Witt Reports, Cohen said he "absolutely" believes Trump will be "fingerprinted, swabbed, mug-shotted," but noted that he wouldn't like to see "Donald handcuffed and paraded through."
"Because it's an embarrassment to our country," Cohen said. "Could you imagine our allies and our adversaries, how they could either enjoy this or despise us as a direct result?"
"I don't want to see anyone, and that includes Donald Trump, indicted, prosecuted, convicted, incarcerated, because I fundamentally, or the country, fundamentally disagrees with so much of what comes out of his mouth," Cohen added.
Cohen was also recently asked by CNN's Don Lemon if he thinks a Trump indictment is "imminent" to which he responded by saying "I do...let's all hope it's sooner rather than later."
Over the weekend, Trump wrote in a TruthSocial post that he expected to be arrested on Tuesday and has since continued to criticize Manhattan District Attorney Bragg and Cohen.
"How can a highly controversial, George Soros-backed District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, who presides over one of the most crime ridden, violent, and dangerous Cities in the U.S., with no retribution toward these heinous criminals, bring charges against the 45th, and quite possibly the 47th, President of the United States, who received more votes than any sitting President in history, over 75,000,000, and who is currently leading all candidates, by a lot, when there is NO CRIME OF ANY KIND???" Trump said in a TruthSocial post on Tuesday night.
Newsweek reached out to Trump's spokesperson and Cohen's lawyer for comment via email.
About the writer
Matthew Impelli is a Newsweek staff writer based in New York. His focus is reporting social issues and crime. In ... Read more