Trump Meets Former Lawyer Michael Cohen at Bedminster Golf Club

Last summer, former President Donald Trump met privately with his ex-personal lawyer Michael D. Cohen at the president’s members-only golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. According to people with knowledge of the encounter, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the brief conversation marked the end of a years-long estrangement that had been defined by legal disputes and public acrimony. Cohen later held a second, longer meeting with Trump earlier this year and made additional calls to several of the president’s closest allies.

New York Times

Cohen served as Trump’s personal attorney and “fixer” before turning witness in the New York criminal trial that resulted in Trump’s conviction for falsifying business records. His testimony was a pivotal element of the prosecution’s case, and the fallout left the two men at odds for more than two years.

New York Times

In a Saturday interview, Cohen said his relationship with Trump had improved after the former president perceived a liberal backlash to his criticism of prosecutors. Cohen, who once led the prosecution’s case, now publicly assails those prosecutors and argues that reconciliation between the two is possible.

New York Times

The renewed contact provides Cohen with a “toehold into” Trump’s orbit, according to the same unnamed sources, and may signal a broader effort by the former president to mend ties with former adversaries. Observers note that such a rapprochement could influence Trump’s network of allies and affect ongoing political narratives surrounding his legal battles.

New York Times

“If Donald Trump and Michael Cohen can rekindle and reconcile their past relationship, then anyone should be able to,” — Michael D. Cohen, interview on July 12, 2026.

New York Times