Trump reportedly thinks Michael Cohen is like a 'bull in a china shop' when it comes to fixing problems

Michael Cohen.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

For attorney Michael Cohen, President Trump's move to Washington was something of a breakup — one he's still not over.

Cohen, who has been Trump's personal attorney for years, is apparently going through a bit of a rough patch with the president, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. Trump reportedly sought to distance himself from his longtime fixer once he decided to run for office, and apparently privately described him as a "bull in a china shop" with a tendency to make problems worse.

Cohen was disappointed that Trump didn't tap him to run his campaign or to work as White House chief of staff, the Journal reports. And his frustration has mounted as Trump publicly downplays his relationship with Cohen in the face of allegations of an affair with adult film actress Stormy Daniels, whom Cohen paid $130,000 in a hush agreement in 2016.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The attorney reportedly shared his feelings with the president from afar, telling him in a phone call last year: "Boss, I miss you so much. I wish I was down there with you."

Trump on Thursday admitted to Fox & Friends that Cohen represented him in the Daniels case, but said that Cohen only handled a "tiny, tiny little fraction" of his legal work. Trump's delayed repayment of the hush money reportedly pushed Cohen to consider "defecting" from Trump's side, even though he has publicly said he'd "take a bullet" for the Trump family.

The Journal reports that Trump is likely paying close attention to his legal bull lately, hoping his crash through the metaphorical china shop doesn't take the president down with him. Read more at The Wall Street Journal.

Explore More
Summer Meza, The Week US

Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.