Michael Cohen’s text to Maggie Haberman about ‘Big Boss’ revealed at NY trial; X users blast ‘Trump’s mouthpiece’

Michael Cohen, the star prosecution witness in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial, took the stand again on Tuesday. Text messages from Cohen to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman entered as evidence against the GOP leader in the court.

Defense attorney Todd Blanche cross examines Michael Cohen in Manhattan criminal court, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in New York. (AP)

They reveal how Trump’s ex-fixer sought to shield him from scrutiny over the hush money payment that is crucial to his ongoing criminal prosecution.

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On Feb. 6, 2018, Cohen sent a message to Haberman saying, “Big boss just approved my responding to complaint and statement. Please start writing and I will call you soon.”

According to texts, Cohen told Haberman that he used his own personal finances to transfer hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who decided to come forward with allegations of an alleged affair with Trump ahead of 2016 presidential election.

Trump is currently on trial in New York on 34 charges relating to manipulating company documents in order to hide a $130,000 payment to Daniels in 2016, when his wife Melania Trump was pregnant with their child Barron.

Haberman was in court on Tuesday when Cohen’s messages were read.

“That’s a true statement, but it’s deceptive, misleading,” Cohen told prosecutors during the questioning.

Meanwhile, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Susan Hoffinger interrogated Cohen if the statement he provided to Haberman was purposefully deceptive, he answered, “Yes,” adding that it was important “in order to protect Mr. Trump, stay on message.”

It wasn’t the first time that text messages exchanged between Cohen and Haberman were made public. They were also shown to the jury during the hearing on the case on May 2.

Haberman, a seasoned Times reporter, is well-known in the media and political worlds for her coverage of Trump. She was a member of the Pulitzer Prize-winning team that reported on the ex-president’s ties to Russia in 2018 and wrote a book in 2023 about his public life and first time in office.

Also Read: Michael Cohen returns to stand, testifies about ‘hush money’ payment to Stormy Daniels

Netizens blast Haberman as ‘propagandist for Trump’

Amidst the ongoing trial, Maggie Haberman started trending on X as Cohen was grilled about his texts to NY Times reporter.

“Maggie Haberman received a Pulitzer Prize for her reporting on the Trump administration. Text message receipts in court show she was collaborating with Michael Cohen to use her reporting as a mouthpiece for Trump’s lies,” one X user wrote.

“Raise your hand if you ALWAYS knew NY Times Maggie Haberman was in the tank for Trump,” a second user reacted.

“”Maggie Haberman of the NYT was Trump‘s mouthpiece during the Stormy scandal! Just goes to show the NYT has been doing Trump’s bidding for him for quite a while. And they wonder why their reputation is in shambles…” one more responded.

A fourth user wrote: “Maggie Haberman is finally getting dragged for what we all knew – being Trump’s shadow PR for the New York Times. Cue up the fake pearl clutching by the NYT.”