Trump slams Michael Cohen and Wednesday's 'fake hearing,' but praises one thing Cohen said


President Trump said Thursday that his former lawyer Michael Cohen's testimony to the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday that Trump is a racist, cheat, and conman is "incorrect," and he blamed House Democrats for hosting Cohen. "I think having a fake hearing like that, and having it in the middle of this very important summit, is really a terrible thing," Trump said at a news conference in Hanoi. "They could have made it two days later, or next week, and it would have been even better."
Most of the House hearings dealt with Trump's alleged financial misconduct and campaign-finance conspiracy, and committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) specifically forbade questions that might impede on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, as committee Republicans frequently pointed out. But Cohen's testimony that he saw no direct evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow was the one silver lining in the otherwise dark cloud for Trump. Cohen "lied a lot," he claimed, but he did not lie about "the Russian collusion," and "I was a little impressed by that, frankly." Trump spent most of the rest of his answer denying "collusion" and calling Mueller's investigation a "hoax" and "Russian witch hunt." Watch below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

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.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Kartoffelsalat (potato salad) recipe
The Week Recommends German dish is fresh, creamy and an ideal summer meal
-
Sickness benefits: an unaffordable burden?
Talking Point A welfare bill 'debacle' caused by 'sickfluencers' who are beating the system
-
Crossword: July 19, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein
-
Fed chair Powell in Trump's firing line
Speed Read The president considers removing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
-
Trump trashes supporters over Epstein files
speed read The president lashed out on social media following criticism of his administration's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
-
Judge nixes wiping medical debt from credit checks
Speed Read Medical debt can now be included in credit reports
-
Grijalva wins Democratic special primary for Arizona
Speed Read She will go up against Republican nominee Daniel Butierez to fill the US House seat her father held until his death earlier this year
-
US inflation jumps as Trump tariffs 'bite'
Speed Read Consumer prices are climbing and the inflation rate rose to its highest level in four months
-
SCOTUS greenlights mass DOE firings
Speed Read The Supreme Court will allow the Trump administration to further shrink the Education Department