Former Trump Lawyer Testifies Before a Grand Jury

Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former lawyer who has turned into one of his worst enemies, has testified before a grand jury in New York as part of an investigation into a payment to a actress in which the former US president may be impeached.

If impeached, it would be the first criminal charge against a former U.S. president and an obstacle to Trump's possible return to the White House in the next election.

"Trump has to pay the price for his actions," Michael Cohen told media as he arrived at the court, stressing that he wanted to "tell the truth and not seek revenge."

His lawyer, Lanny Davis, confirmed in response to a question by AFP that his client was being questioned by a grand jury of citizens with broad investigative powers.

Michael Cohen's affidavit centers on $130,2016 he paid in <> to actress Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, to buy her silence about a supposed relationship with Donald Trump, a payment that came two weeks before the presidential election in which Republican candidate won over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

After pleading guilty to the charges, the former lawyer was sentenced to three years in prison for orchestrating the payment in violation of campaign finance laws. He said he acted at the explicit behest of the Republican candidate, who returned the money to him as soon as he entered the White House.

The New York Times and the Washington Post revealed on Thursday that Manhattan prosecutors had also subpoenaed Donald Trump to testify before the grand jury, meaning the former president could be imminent.

The New York Times reported that Trump may be charged with making false calculations to conceal a violation of campaign finance rules, the same newspaper also reported.

After the newspapers revealed, Trump on Thursday denounced on his social media network Truth Social a "relentless political campaign aimed at undermining the leading Republican nominee."

Trump, who is being targeted by other cases but has never been criminally charged, added: "I didn't have a relationship with Stormy Daniels."