Donald Trump is now saying he could pardon Michael Cohen, the former lawyer and fixer who became a key witness against him in his New York criminal case. The stunning possibility marks a dramatic turn in a relationship that once descended into years of public attacks and legal warfare.
Per TheGuardian, when asked about a potential pardon, Trump said he would consider it if “everything is checking out.” He also praised Cohen for eventually changing his position, claiming that his former ally had been pressured into saying things he did not believe.
The comments come after an unexpected reconciliation between the two men. Cohen has returned to calling Trump “boss”. Meanwhile, Trump has publicly expressed appreciation for his former fixer after years of portraying him as an enemy.
Cohen went from Trump’s fixer to a central witness against him
Cohen once served as one of Trump’s most loyal defenders and personal lawyers. Their relationship collapsed after Cohen became embroiled in the investigation surrounding payments made to Stormy Daniels and other criminal matters.
Cohen pleaded guilty to federal crimes and was sentenced to three years in prison. He later became a prosecution witness in Trump’s criminal trial, where his testimony concerned the hush-money payment at the center of the case.
A New York jury ultimately convicted Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Trump has denied wrongdoing and is appealing the conviction.
Cohen has not fully withdrawn his testimony, despite Trump’s repeated claims that he did. Instead, Cohen has said he felt pressured and coerced by prosecutors and has signaled that he wants to move beyond his feud with Trump.
Trump has not committed to granting a pardon just yet. Cohen has also said he did not personally ask Trump for a pardon, though he submitted an application to the White House after a previous clemency request was rejected.
Published: Sep 10, 2026 01:15 pm