Michael Cohen says Trump told him Melania came up with the ‘locker room talk’ explanation for ‘Access Hollywood’ footage

Michael Cohen testified on Monday that Melania Trump suggested spinning the “Access Hollywood” tape as “locker room talk,” according to Donald Trump.

During his testimony before the Manhattan Supreme Court jury, Cohen explained that in 2005, Trump boasted on a hot mic about grabbing women by the genitalia, as was reported by The New York Post.

Cohen said that Trump wanted to "put a spin on this" by suggesting that the tape was actually about locker room talk.

Cohen's Testimony

Cohen asserted that Trump told him the angle was “something that Melania had recommended, or at least he told me that that’s what Melania had thought it was.”

Trump supposedly added to his then-“fixer” that they should “use” the excuse “in order to get control over the story and to minimize its impact on him and his campaign,” Cohen testified.

The recording's contents were "quite damaging," Cohen continued.

Juror's Information

Jurors won’t be shown the “Access Hollywood” video recording at trial, as per Judge Juan Merchan’s ruling. But during opening arguments, prosecutors read out Trump’s now-infamous words comments aloud.

After the recording was leaked to the public one month before the 2016 election on Oct. 7, prosecutors say hiding Trump's extramarital affairs became more crucial for his campaign.

Trump's lawyers will likely contend that the real estate mogul directed Cohen to make the $130,000 hush money payoff to Stormy Daniels to protect Melania, not to influence the election.

Cohen told investigators that Trump was protecting his political bid, not his wife. The disbarred attorney stated he asked Trump, “How are things gonna go upstairs?” about Melania's reaction to the recording.

Trump's Alleged Comments

Trump reportedly said, “Don’t worry; how long do you think I’ll be on the market for? Not long.”

“He wasn’t thinking about Melania. This was all about the campaign,” Cohen said of the exchange — at which point Trump, seated at the defense table, turned toward him and shook his head with a sly smile on his face.

Supposedly, Trump instructed Cohen to hold off on releasing Daniels' story until after the election, according to Cohen.

“I want you to just push it out as long as you can, just get past the election,” Cohen claimed Trump said. “Because if I win, it will have no relevance because I’m president. And if I lose, I don’t even care.”