President Donald Trump is preparing for an extraordinary interview with a man who went from being one of his most trusted insiders to one of his most prominent public critics.
Trump is expected to be interviewed by Michael Cohen, his former personal attorney, in a reunion that few political observers would have predicted after years of bitter disagreements, legal battles and highly publicized accusations.
Cohen says portions of his conversation with the president will air Thursday on New York’s 77 WABC radio. Additional material is expected to be featured Sunday as part of a program Cohen is hosting on the station.
The appearance immediately stands out because of the complicated history between the two men.
Cohen once worked closely with Trump and became widely known as the future president’s personal attorney and “fixer.” But their relationship eventually collapsed, turning Cohen from a longtime Trump loyalist into an outspoken adversary who would later testify against him.
Now, after years of hostility, Trump and Cohen appear ready to speak publicly again.
Trump And Cohen’s Stunning Reunion
The planned interview represents another remarkable chapter in one of the most dramatic political relationships of the Trump era.
Cohen spent years inside Trump’s orbit before the two had a highly public falling-out amid federal investigations.
One of the biggest controversies involved a payment Cohen arranged for adult-film actress Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 presidential election. Daniels alleged that she previously had an affair with Trump, something Trump has denied.
The payment and the way it was documented later became central to Trump’s New York criminal case.
Cohen ultimately emerged as a key witness against his former boss, making the prospect of the two men sitting down for a friendly conversation particularly striking.
For Americans who followed Trump’s political and legal battles over the past decade, their reunion represents a dramatic reversal.
Cohen Says His Feud With Trump Is Ending
Signs of a possible reconciliation emerged earlier this summer when Cohen publicly revealed that relations between the two had begun to improve.
During an appearance on WABC’s “Cats & Cosby,” Cohen said he was eating at a restaurant with his wife when he unexpectedly received a message from a mutual acquaintance.
According to Cohen, the message expressed Trump’s sympathy regarding difficulties Cohen said he had been experiencing.
The gesture apparently made an impression.
Cohen said he subsequently contacted Trump directly to thank him and express his hope that their long-running dispute could finally be put behind them.
After years of public attacks from both sides, even a private exchange between Trump and Cohen would have been noteworthy. A public interview takes the apparent reconciliation considerably further.
Conflicting Reports Emerged About The Interview
There was initially some confusion over exactly where the Trump-Cohen conversation would be released.
MS NOW reported that Trump would participate in an interview for Cohen’s podcast. Cohen later clarified on social media that the conversation was connected to his WABC radio programming.
According to Cohen, part of the interview is expected to air Thursday, while additional material will be featured during Sunday’s program.
The White House had not publicly provided extensive details about the appearance when the interview plans first emerged.
Regardless of the format, the prospect of Trump willingly speaking with his former attorney is generating attention because of everything that has happened between them.
From Trusted Trump Insider To Major Critic
Cohen was once firmly positioned inside Trump’s inner circle.
Before Trump entered the White House, Cohen worked for the Trump Organization and frequently defended his boss publicly. His reputation for aggressively protecting Trump’s interests helped make him one of the more recognizable figures surrounding the future president.
That relationship changed dramatically in 2018.
Cohen pleaded guilty to federal charges and was later sentenced to prison. He subsequently became a vocal critic of Trump and cooperated with investigations involving his former boss.
Their dispute continued for years and included lawsuits, television interviews, books, congressional testimony and courtroom appearances.
Cohen eventually testified during Trump’s New York criminal trial, making him an important witness in a case that attracted national attention.
The idea that these same two men would eventually reconcile enough to participate in an interview together would have seemed highly unlikely only a few years ago.
Why The Trump-Cohen Interview Could Matter
The interview could give Americans an unusual look at how both men now view their tumultuous history.
Trump has never been reluctant to confront his critics, but agreeing to speak with someone who once testified against him creates an especially unpredictable dynamic.
Cohen, meanwhile, has spent years discussing his former boss publicly. His more recent comments, however, suggest his perspective on their personal feud has changed.
That creates several major questions going into the conversation.
Will Cohen ask Trump about their bitter falling-out? Will they discuss the investigations and trials that turned them into adversaries? Will Trump explain why he was willing to reconnect with his former attorney?
And perhaps most importantly, is their reconciliation temporary, or have the two men genuinely decided to leave their feud in the past?
Those questions could make the interview compelling for longtime political observers.
An Unexpected Political Moment
The timing adds another layer of interest.
Trump is serving his second term as president, while Republicans and Democrats are preparing for another consequential election season. Virtually every presidential interview therefore has the potential to generate political headlines.
But this isn’t an ordinary presidential interview.
Cohen knows Trump personally and professionally in a way few interviewers do. He spent years working alongside him before becoming one of the president’s best-known critics.
That history means viewers and listeners may be watching not only for what Trump says, but also for how the two men interact after everything that has happened between them.
For conservative voters who watched Cohen repeatedly criticize Trump during years of investigations and court proceedings, his apparent reconciliation with the president could be particularly noteworthy.
It is also a reminder of just how quickly political alliances and personal relationships can change in Washington.
All Eyes On What Trump Says Next
Exactly what Trump and Cohen will discuss remains unclear, and that uncertainty could be one of the biggest reasons the interview attracts attention.
The two men have shared years of history encompassing business, politics, personal disagreements and some of the most closely watched legal proceedings involving Trump.
Now they are preparing to speak again — this time with the public listening.
Whether the conversation produces major revelations or simply marks the end of one of Washington’s most bitter feuds remains to be seen.
Either way, a former Trump confidant who became a key adversary is preparing to interview the president after the two apparently began repairing their relationship.
Considering their history, that alone makes this one of Trump’s most unexpected interviews yet.