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CNN airs Trump-Cohen secret audio tape on hushing Playboy model

This AFP combination of file pictures created on July 20, 2018 shows (L-R) US President Donald Trump on July 18, 2018, in Washington, DC, and Playboy model Karen McDougal on February 6, 2010 in Miami Beach, Florida.

A secret audio tape has been released, in which US President Donald Trump is heard discussing with his long time attorney how to hush a former Playboy model, who allegedly had an affair with him.

CNN released the audio tape Tuesday, offering the first public a glimpse at the confidential discussions about Karen McDougal.

McDougal says she had an affair with Trump in 2006, shortly after the birth of his youngest son.

The tape is among troves of documents and materials seized by the FBI after raiding the New York home of Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen (pictured below) in April.

"I need to open up a company for the transfer of all of that info regarding our friend David," Cohen said in the recording, likely a reference to American Media head David Pecker.

Trump was initially taken aback when he found out that his own attorney had secretly taped him.

“Cohen told Trump about his plans to set up a company and finance the purchase of the rights from American Media, which publishes the National Enquirer,” CNN said in its report.

To make the then presidential candidate understand what he means by “financing,” Cohen tells him, "We'll have to pay," to which Trump responds "pay with cash."

According to the president’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, no such payment has ever been made.

Made in September 2016, the tape has apparently been given to CNN by Cohen's attorney Lanny Davis.

"What is this about? This is about honesty versus false disparagement of Michael Cohen. Why is Giuliani out falsely disparaging Michael Cohen -- because they fear him," Davis said.

"What do they fear, Chris? Why am I representing him? They fear that he has the truth about Donald Trump. He will someday speak the truth about Donald Trump. The truth is that when Donald Trump said 'cash,' which Rudy Giuliani knows that only drug dealers and mobsters talk about cash, it was, you heard Michael Cohen ... say what? 'No, no, no, no.'"

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you voted for Donald Trump, listen to the tape and ask yourself: Is Donald Trump lying when he said he didn't use the word 'cash' and accuses Michael Cohen of using the word 'cash'? Cohen has been disparaged. Cohen has been insulted and called all sorts of things by people around Donald Trump."

Trump has been under pressure over growing allegations of sexual misconduct.

Adult film actress Stormy Daniels also claims she was paid by Cohen to keep silent before the 2016 vote, a decade after her affair with Trump.

Daniels, an adult-film actress whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is suing to void a nondisclosure agreement brokered by Cohen that prohibits her from speaking publicly about the alleged affair.


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