Donald Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen said he is preparing to leave the country and change his name in case his former boss wins back the White House.
Cohen was Trump’s personal lawyer for many years, playing a key role in handling Trump’s legal matters, business dealings, and personal controversies. Their relationship soured after Cohen was charged and then pleaded guilty in 2018 to crimes including tax evasion, campaign finance violations, and lying to Congress. Cohen later cooperated with investigations into Trump, publicly testifying against him during Alvin Bragg’s hush money trial and becoming a vocal critic.
On MSNBC’s “Deadline White House” Tuesday, Cohen was asked, “What do you think happens to you if he wins?”
“Well, I’m out of here,” he responded.
Trump Cohen (Getty Images)
“I’m already working on a foreign passport with a completely different name. I don’t know how it’s going to work as far as dealing with my wife and my children. I certainly don’t want them moving to where I’m looking to go,” he added. “And the worst is the Supreme Court’s recent decision that gave him immunity, presidential immunity. Now, he thinks it’s not only is it I can do whatever I want, but I can’t even be prosecuted. It’s a get out of jail free card solely for the president.”
The Supreme Court ruled in Trump v. United States that a former president has substantial immunity from prosecution for official acts committed while in office, but not for unofficial acts.
In a 6-3 decision, the Court sent the matter back down to a lower court, as the justices did not apply the ruling to whether or not former President Trump is immune from prosecution regarding actions related to efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Gorsuch explained to Fox News in August that the precedent was set in a prior case in order to protect the president from having the civil cases weaponized against him.
Michael Cohen Trump MSNBC
“Why? Because that would chill him from exercising the powers and duties of a president while he is president,” Gorsuch said. “He would be overwhelmed. His political enemies would simply bring suits against him forever more. The court held that about 50 years ago.”
“All the court did in this case was simply apply that same precedent and idea to the criminal context,” he argued,” Gorsuch continued.
Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch stands during a group photo at the Supreme Court in Washington, April 23, 2021. (Erin Schaff/The New York Times via AP, Pool, File)
After Cohen pleaded guilty to federal crimes, the former president swiftly fired back, blasting Cohen as a “weak person,” and claiming his former attorney was “lying” to get a reduced sentence.
“So you’re out of here. You leave the country,” Wallace pressed Cohen during the segment.
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“I have no choice,” Cohen responded.
Fox News’ Yael Halon and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
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