In a June 13, 2018, email reviewed by Trump attorney Emil Bove, Robert Costello emphasized to an undisclosed recipient the power to communicate at will, clarifying that the decision to exercise this ability rested solely with them. When questioned by Bove about whether this amounted to pressuring Michael Cohen, Costello firmly denied any such intent. He maintained that he never exerted pressure on Cohen or held any control over him.
Trump's legal team strategically called Costello to testify in an effort to counter Cohen's claims of feeling pressured during the FBI's search of his premises in 2018. Despite advising Cohen post-search without a formal agreement or payment, Costello highlighted his connections to Rudy Giuliani in email exchanges. Giuliani, the former New York mayor, had also joined Trump's legal team in the same year.
