Trump and Michael Cohen Reunite in Friendly Radio Interview, Old Feuds Apparently Buried

President Trump and his former personal attorney Michael Cohen appear to have reconciled in a striking reversal of fortunes, participating in a warm, wide-ranging radio interview that aired in full on Sunday. Cohen — who once called Trump a racist, conman, and cheat — spent the conversation referring to the president as 'boss,' a far cry from the bitter public falling-out that defined their relationship for years.

The two discussed an eclectic mix of topics, including Trump's proposed ballroom, the state of the economy during his second term, and what they framed as the 'weaponization' of American institutions. Perhaps most remarkably, the pair openly speculated together about why so many Americans hold strong negative views of Trump — a question Cohen had previously answered with blistering personal attacks.

The reconciliation is stunning given the history. Cohen went to federal prison during Trump's first term after admitting to paying adult film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 in hush money to prevent her from publicly discussing an alleged affair with Trump. He became one of Trump's most vocal critics post-prison, testifying against him and writing a scathing memoir. His testimony was central to Trump's New York hush money criminal case.

Just last week, when CNN's Jake Tapper pressed Cohen on whether he still stood by sworn testimony that Trump directed him to commit crimes, Cohen conspicuously refused to reaffirm it, saying only that what he said was said and he would not revisit past statements. He similarly ducked Tapper's question about whether he still believed Trump to be a racist and a conman, pivoting instead to talking about the future. The Sunday interview suggests that pivot is now complete.