Overview
- President Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he would “consider” issuing a pardon for Michael Cohen after saying Cohen had recanted his statements.
- Cohen has made unsworn public comments saying he felt pressured to testify but he has not filed any formal, sworn retraction of his trial testimony.
- Prosecutors and legal experts note that unsworn media remarks carry little evidentiary weight and that courts generally require sworn affidavits or formal motions to reopen convictions.
- Cohen’s 2018 federal conviction and sentence for arranging hush‑money payments is distinct from Trump’s 2024 New York state conviction and only federal offenses are eligible for presidential pardons.
- The public reconciliation has political value and could lead to formal clemency moves or filings, and reporters say Cohen has been seen at GOP events and reportedly resubmitted a pardon application.