Overview
- President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday that he would consider issuing a pardon for Michael Cohen and said Cohen had “recanted” his testimony.
- Cohen wrote on Substack earlier this year that he felt pressured to testify and later told Mediaite founder Dan Abrams that his trial testimony was truthful, creating mixed public statements.
- Prosecutors and legal experts note that unsworn media comments carry little weight in court and that judges typically require a sworn retraction, affidavit, or new evidence to revisit testimony.
- Cohen has pursued clemency paperwork reportedly by resubmitting a pardon request and has recently made cordial public appearances with Trump, including a taped radio interview, which have shaped the political narrative.
- Any presidential pardon would only apply to federal convictions—Cohen is technically eligible—but it would not undo Trump’s 2024 New York state conviction and is unlikely to immediately alter ongoing state cases or appeals.