WASHINGTON _ President Donald Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen _ who once declared himself willing to take a bullet for Trump _said in an interview with ABC News that he now places his loyalty to his family and country "first."
Cohen, a former executive vice president of The Trump Organization, signaled his willingness to cooperate with federal prosecutors who are currently examining his work on behalf of Trump. The comments came in an interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos featured on Monday's "Good Morning America."
Asked how he would respond if prosecutors forced him to choose between protecting the president or protecting his family, Cohen replied: "My wife, my daughter and my son have my first loyalty and always will. I put family and country first."
Throughout the interview, Cohen, who grew up in the Long Island village of Lawrence, broke ranks with his former boss. He said he disagreed with Trump's "witch hunt" label for special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe, and he defended the FBI, an agency whose leaders Trump has often criticized on Twitter.
Cohen told Stephanopoulos, in an off-camera interview that was reported on-air, that he wanted to answer questions about the $130,000 payment made to former porn actress Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 election to remain quiet about her allegations of an affair with Trump but was advised not to by his attorney.
"One day I will answer," Cohen said of the payment, which he said previously he made without Trump's knowledge.
Trump, who has denied having a 2006 tryst with Daniels, acknowledged the payment in a May tweet, saying the payoff in exchange for Daniels signing a nondisclosure agreement was "very common among celebrities and people of wealth."
The payment to Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, is just one facet of Cohen's business dealings that federal investigators in New York's U.S. Southern District are investigating. The FBI _ acting on a referral from Mueller, who is investigating possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 election _ raided Cohen's home and office in April, seizing documents and electronic devices.
While Trump has repeatedly denounced Mueller's probe as a "witch hunt," Cohen stopped short of criticizing the wide-reaching investigation, saying, "I don't like the term witch hunt."
"As an American, I repudiate Russia's or any other foreign government's attempt to interfere or meddle in our democratic process, and I would call on all Americans to do the same," he said.
Cohen told Stephanopoulos he has not been interviewed by Mueller's team but would be willing to cooperate, adding that he did not believe Mueller's team would find any wrongdoing on his part.
Asked how he would respond to any attempt by Trump or his legal team to discredit his character, Cohen said: "I will not be a punching bag as part of anyone's defense strategy. I am not a villain of this story, and I will not allow others to try to depict me that way."
While Trump has repeatedly taken to Twitter to question the objectivity of the FBI, Cohen broke ranks with his former boss, telling Stephanopoulos, "I don't agree with those who demonize or vilify the FBI."
"I respect the FBI as an institution, as well as their agents," Cohen said. "When they searched my hotel room and my home, it was obviously upsetting to me and my family. Nonetheless, the agents were respectful, courteous and professional. I thanked them for their service and as they left, we shook hands."
Asked if Trump had viewed the interview, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders declined to comment Monday at a White House briefing.
Cohen said he granted the interview in part "to regain my name and my reputation and my life back."
On Monday, the special master reviewing materials and devices seized from Cohen's home and office in the April raid to determine which are protected by attorney-client privilege reported that she had turned over more than 1.3 million items to the government.
Barbara Jones, the special master named by Manhattan U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood to review privilege claims from Cohen, Trump and the Trump Organization, has so far approved 161 privilege claims.
Last week, Cohen's lawyers said they have sought protection for 12,061 files out of a total of more than 4 million. Jones said she is still waiting on the government to produce the contents of one Blackberry seized from Cohen, and the Trump Organization has a Thursday deadline to make privilege claims involving 22,633 files.
