Although the same US correspondent Jan Postma believes that the accusation and the amount that accompanies it mainly have to do with the fact that it concerns Trump, he calls the defense from Trump’s camp only dark. “They say it officially has nothing to do with testimony,” he says. “They do it because Cohen would say certain things about Trump, but they don’t clarify what exactly it is.”
It is evident that Cohen has been featured a lot in the American media in recent weeks, Postma says. He is a former Trump adviser and regulator who was also arrested. “He spends a lot of time on TV cleaning his way,” Postma continues. “Not just last year, but the last few weeks as well.”
Against the chest
And it’s precisely those television appearances that would go against Trump’s camp, “even if everyone is thinking about that testimony,” Postma says. While she admits that this is mostly speculation, the situation bears some similarities to the way Trump typically operates. “This naturally generates publicity,” concludes Postma. “Cohen is the key witness in the case, and is portrayed by Trump as someone he can’t be trusted.”
Cohen is portrayed by Trump as someone who cannot be trusted
According to Postma, this is simply a tactic Trump is implementing. Especially since Cohen has lied before, and is therefore not considered a “fantastic star witness”. “We know that Trump is good at intimidating those who oppose him, so he could also be a kind of warning to others not to come forward.”