MSNBC’s legal coverage of the New York v. Trump trial delivered an unexpected ‘moment of triumph’ for former President Donald Trump’s defense team. The spotlight shone brightly on MSNBC legal correspondent Lisa Rubin as she detailed a pivotal exchange during the cross-examination of Michael Cohen, Trump’s ex-lawyer and a key witness for the prosecution.
Thursday’s proceedings saw defense attorney Todd Blanche challenge Cohen over a disputed phone call made to Trump’s former bodyguard, Keith Schiller. It was a moment that Rubin emphasized as the “biggest point” of the day for Team Trump in a trial mired in controversy and high stakes.
At issue was whether Cohen, previously billed as the prosecution’s star witness, had been truthful about his communications with Trump concerning a hush money payment. Cohen’s credibility came under scrutiny as Blanche presented a text exchange between Cohen and Schiller. The text, previously unseen by Cohen in the eight years since it was sent, threw a wrench into the narrative that Cohen had maintained throughout the trial.
The text revealed that Cohen contacted Schiller not to discuss Trump directly, but to seek advice on handling harassing calls from a purported 14-year-old prankster. This contradicted Cohen’s earlier testimony, where he claimed the call was solely about Trump. “Part of it was the 14-year-old… but I know Keith was with Mr. Trump,” Cohen retorted under pressure, his response betraying uncertainty.
Blanche seized on this discrepancy, stating emphatically, “That was a lie, you did not talk to President Trump.” Cohen’s only reply: “I’m not certain that’s accurate.”
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The moment was portrayed by MSNBC as a significant victory for Trump’s legal team, underlining the challenges faced by the prosecution in building a credible case against the former president. Lisa Rubin’s analysis suggested that the cross-examination was not just about a phone call, but about the integrity and reliability of Cohen as a witness.
“It sort of cast lots of his testimony in doubt given the passage of time and makes the District Attorney’s Office look terrible all in one breath,” Rubin explained. “This is a moment of real triumph for Todd Blanche. You could even hear it in his voice. He is not a person to get excitable very easily.”
Not only does it cast doubt on the strength of the prosecution’s case, but it also raises questions about the diligence of the District Attorney’s Office. Rubin pointed out that the office appeared “sloppy” for not having shown Cohen the crucial text message earlier, which might have clarified the facts before the trial. It was clear that MSNBC, often critical of Trump, had acknowledged a pivotal moment where the defense not only challenged but potentially upended the prosecution’s narrative.
As the trial resumes on Monday, all eyes will be on how the prosecution responds. For now the defense certainly seems to have scored a significant legal — and perhaps psychological — victory.