During his testimony, Michael Cohen revealed that he had made false statements to Congress regarding the Trump Tower Moscow real estate project. Specifically, Cohen admitted to lying about the number of times he claimed to have spoken to Mr. Trump about the project and the timeline of those conversations.
When asked why he had lied, Cohen explained that he was following Mr. Trump's directive to downplay any connections to Russia. He stated, 'Because I was staying on Mr. Trump’s message that there was no Russia, Russia, Russia, and again in coordination with the joint defense team that’s what was preferred.'
President Trump did not immediately respond to Cohen's testimony, which included the use of Trump's own phrase 'Russia, Russia, Russia.'
This revelation adds another layer to the ongoing investigations into potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 election. Cohen's admission highlights the lengths to which individuals may go to protect their interests and align with the messaging of those in power.