US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence his long-time personal lawyer Michael Cohen would remain loyal to him while under federal criminal investigation.
In a Twitter tirade on Saturday, Trump lashed out over a New York Times report that suggested Cohen could cooperate with Justice Department investigators against the president.
“The New York Times and a third rate reporter named Maggie Haberman, known as a Crooked H flunkie who I don’t speak to and have nothing to do with, are going out of their way to destroy Michael Cohen and his relationship with me in the hope that he will ‘flip,’ ” Trump tweeted.
"Sorry, I don’t see Michael doing that despite the horrible Witch Hunt and the dishonest media!" he added.
Trump had initially misspelled Haberman's last name, but later corrected the mistake in a retweet.
Haberman, who recently won a Pulitzer Prize for her reporting on the Russia investigation, responded with a tweet, saying the story seems to have “touched a nerve.”
One B, sir (or Dan?). Here’s the story that seems to have touched a nerve. nyti.ms/2vuwhYZ twitter.com/realdonaldtrum…
Cohen, who has facilitated multiple business deals and legal maneuvers for Trump over the past several years, is under investigation by the Justice Department for bank fraud and campaign finance law violations.
Citing Trump’s aides, the Times reported that Cohen may not continue to “take a bullet” Trump amid his own growing legal troubles.
Trump said one former aide Haberman quoted in his report was a “drunk/drugged up loser.”
FBI agents on April 9 raided the hotel room and office of Cohen, who is named in a lawsuit by former adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Daniels has alleged she had an affair with Trump in 2006 and Cohen paid her $130,000 before the 2016 election to keep quiet about it.