Trump’s friends turned foes

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump’s falling out with longtime lawyer and consigliere Michael Cohen is just the latest in a series of spectacular feuds between the president and close confidants, reports AFP.

The fixer

On paper, Michael Cohen’s job seemed straight forward: “personal attorney to President Donald J. Trump.”

But over the course of 20 years, the former personal injury lawyer’s role encompassed a much broader suite of services—spokesman, cheerleader, foot soldier, enforcer, cleanup guy and—sometimes—attorney.

No one could talk up or back up Trump quite like Cohen, who once said Trump was less of a boss and more of a “patriarch” and “mentor.”

Their relationship began to turn sour when Cohen was not offered a job in the administration, but collapsed completely when Cohen’s legal difficulties were met with studied silence by the world’s most powerful man.

The strategist

Aside from Trump himself, there was perhaps no one who did more to get the businessman elected than Steve Bannon—fashioning a far-right and Republican coalition that delivered Trump to power.

At the White House, he was Trump’s chief strategist, and first among equals when it came to senior aides.

But his participation in Michael Wolff’s gossipy and extremely damaging book “Fire and Fury” angered Trump.

The president dubbed him “Sloppy Steve,” apparently for his militantly casual dress sense, and suggested he “cried when he got fired and begged for his job.”

The pair have since reconciled somewhat.

The senator

When then-senator Jeff Sessions endorsed Trump for president in February 2016, it was a shot in the arm for his unlikely candidature, conferring establishment legitimacy and boosting his primary chances in the conservative south.

The pair toured the country, campaigned and traded compliments, until Trump tapped him to become attorney general.

But when his friend vowed to recuse himself from any cases linked to the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, Trump exploded, stating that he never should have given him the job, berating him as “VERY weak” for not investigating Hillary Clinton. But he has not been fired, so far.

The wife

Trump’s first marriage, to Ivana Zelnickova, did not end well. It was sparked by Trump’s affair with Marla Maples—who became his second wife—and played out publicly in excruciating detail.

The “billion-dollar blowup” as one tabloid put it, saw demands for property, leaked stories about child neglect, Maples boasting about how good sex was with Trump and rumors that the businessman disapproved of Ivana’s breast implants.

Years on, Ivana claims that she still talks to Trump as much as twice a week, and acts as a “secret adviser.”

 

Trumps friends turned foes

WASHINGTON: Donald Trumps falling out with longtime lawyer and consigliere Michael Cohen is just the latest in a series of spectacular feuds between the president and close confidants, reports AFP. The fixer On paper, Michael Cohens job seemed straight forward: personal attorney to President Donald J. Trump. But over the course of 20 years, the former personal injury lawyers role encompassed a much broader suite of servicesspokesman, cheerleader, foot soldier, enforcer, cleanup guy andsometimesattorney. No one could talk up or back up Trump quite like Cohen, who once said Trump was less of a boss and more of a patriarch and mentor. Their relationship began to turn sour when Cohen was not offered a job in the administration, but collapsed completely when Cohens legal difficulties were met with studied silence by the worlds most powerful man. The strategist Aside from Trump himself, there was perhaps no one who did more to get the businessman elected than Steve Bannonfashioning a far-right and Republican coalition that delivered Trump to power. At the White House, he was Trumps chief strategist, and first among equals when it came to senior aides. But his participation in Michael Wolffs gossipy and extremely damaging book Fire and Fury angered Trump. The president dubbed him Sloppy Steve, apparently for his militantly casual dress sense, and suggested he cried when he got fired and begged for his job. The pair have since reconciled somewhat. The senator When then-senator Jeff Sessions endorsed Trump for president in February 2016, it was a shot in the arm for his unlikely candidature, conferring establishment legitimacy and boosting his primary chances in the conservative south. The pair toured the country, campaigned and traded compliments, until Trump tapped him to become attorney general. But when his friend vowed to recuse himself from any cases linked to the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, Trump exploded, stating that he never should have given him the job, berating him as VERY weak for not investigating Hillary Clinton. But he has not been fired, so far. The wife Trumps first marriage, to Ivana Zelnickova, did not end well. It was sparked by Trumps affair with Marla Mapleswho became his second wifeand played out publicly in excruciating detail. The billion-dollar blowup as one tabloid put it, saw demands for property, leaked stories about child neglect, Maples boasting about how good sex was with Trump and rumors that the businessman disapproved of Ivanas breast implants. Years on, Ivana claims that she still talks to Trump as much as twice a week, and acts as a secret adviser.