Right-wing media attack Michael Cohen after he claimed Trump approved of Trump Tower meeting with Russian lawyer

Melissa Joskow / Media Matters

Right-wing media figures attacked the president’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen after he claimed that then-candidate Trump knew in advance of the June 2016 meeting between his son Donald Trump Jr. and a Kremlin-linked Russian lawyer at Trump Tower.

CNN reported last night that Cohen claimed to have been in the room when Trump Jr. informed his father of his plans to meet with the lawyer who allegedly had dirt on then-candidate Hillary Clinton. Whether or not Trump had known of the meeting beforehand has been a central question in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian officials. Previously, Trump Jr. had denied informing his father of the meeting. He later testified to Senate investigators that he could not recall whether or not he notified Trump prior to the meeting.

Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade questioned Cohen’s credibility and hinted that Cohen may have committed perjury. Fox contributor Geraldo Rivera also hyped Cohen’s “sleaziness.” The Drudge Report referred to Cohen as “the rat.” The Daily Caller published multiple pieces that expressed excitement over Trump’s scathing response to the Cohen story, hyped his denial, and piled on to the Drudge-inspired nickname for Cohen.

Many right-wing media personalities took to Twitter to attack Cohen.

Newsmax’s John Cardillo:

Townhall opinion writer Kurt Schlichter

CNN commentator Ben Ferguson

New York Post opinion editor Seth Mandel

The Daily Wire's Ben Shapiro:

This post has been edited for clarity, to reflect that not all of the conservative media figures mentioned are allies of Donald Trump.