Trump Administration Reportedly Didn't Think Much Of Hush-Money Scandal — Until It Blew Up

Just days before the 2016 election, former President Donald Trump's campaign felt relieved as a Wall Street Journal article revealing that the National Enquirer had paid $150,000 to silence a former Playboy model's affair story with Trump went largely unnoticed.

“So far I only see six stories,” Trump attorney Michael Cohen texted campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks, relieved by the lack of immediate attention.

“Same. Keep praying!! It’s working!” replied Hicks, who was traveling with Trump, The Wall Street Journal reported. Three days after, Trump was elected president.

Yet, nearly eight years later, Trump has become the first former president convicted of a crime. 

The embattled Republican, who has weathered numerous scandals, including two impeachments and the storming of the U.S. Capitol by his supporters, was found guilty by a New York jury of 34 felonies related to falsifying records to cover up a hush payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors deemed this effort an unlawful scheme to influence the 2016 election, according to the outlet.

During his term, Trump often attacked reporters and denied news on social media, but he remained mostly silent on the hush-money issue. Top White House aides considered it minor compared to other controversies.

Former aides said Trump was more concerned about Daniels' looks, even instructing staff to demean her publicly.

When confronted by reporters, Trump denied knowledge of the hush money, redirecting questions to Cohen.

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Meanwhile, his press staff evaded direct answers, offering clipped denials about his involvement with Daniels.

Since then, Trump has condemned the New York trial as a “scam,” vilified the judge, and vowed to appeal.

In a recent press conference, he denied the encounter with Daniels again, stating, “Nothing ever happened. There was no anything.”

According to The Wall Street Journal, as Trump’s campaign faced the National Enquirer story in 2016, he had already navigated numerous accusations of sexual assault and the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape.

A former aide testified that Trump’s main concern was preventing the story from reaching the residence where he and his wife were staying.

When The Wall Street Journal reported Cohen’s $130,000 payment to Daniels in January 2018, the White House didn’t initially view it as a significant legal threat. Ty Cobb, then White House counsel, told the outlet that the focus was more on Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, not the hush money.

However, by mid-2018, Cohen turned against Trump after an FBI raid on his properties. He later pleaded guilty to criminal charges, including campaign finance violations and testified that Trump directed the payments.

Throughout Trump’s term, other crises often overshadowed the hush-money saga. Yet, Cohen’s testimony and documentation would later play a pivotal role in the legal proceedings against Trump, according to the outlet. 

In February 2019, Cohen testified before the House Oversight Committee, presenting checks signed by Trump and his associates as reimbursement for the hush money. Trump denied directing Cohen to break the law, accusing him of lying to reduce his prison time.

Although the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office initially completed its investigation without further indictments, the office continued to probe, leading to the eventual charges and Trump’s conviction, The Wall Street Journal noted. 

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This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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