Donald Trump‘s lawyer Todd Blanche reportedly sparked laughter in court on Thursday when he noted Michael Cohen, the former president’s ex-attorney and a witness in his Stormy Daniels hush money trial, had taken to calling the Republican firebrand “Vonshitzenpants.”
Judge Juan Merchan called Thursday’s hearing in response to claims Trump had again violated his gag order by publicly attacking witnesses and the jury. Trump had already been fined $9,000 for breaking the gag order nine times and he has been accused of a further four violations.
Thursday’s hearing covered claims Trump had verbally attacked Cohen, formerly his personal counsel and vice president of The Trump Organization, twice along with saying that of the jury who will preside over the case “95 percent are Democrats.” In response Blanche argued Trump’s remarks were political, rather than a bid to influence the jury, and a response to “multiple and repeated attacks” on him from Cohen.
In an effort to illustrate this point Blanche shared several of Cohen’s social media posts including one where he called Trump “Vonshitzenpants,” reportedly sparking laughter in the courtroom. Based on this and other comments, he argued Cohen is “not a man who needs protection from a gag order.”
Prosecuting lawyer Christopher Conroy, from the New York County District Attorney’s Office, hit back over Trump’s remarks stating: “The order was issued because of the defendant’s persistent and escalating rhetoric aimed at participants in this hearing…He’s already been found by the court to have violated the order nine times and has done it again here.”
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Cohen served a three-year prison sentence from 2019 after pleading guilty to eight felony charges linked to campaign finance law violations “for the principle purpose of influencing” the 2016 presidential election in Trump’s favor.
Blanche’s reference to Cohen calling Trump “Vonshitzenpants” sparked a wave of mockery on social media.
On X, Joe Dowdell, a fitness instructor who has worked with several Hollywood stars, commented: “OMG, Trump’s nickname, #Vonshitzenpants, has officially been entered into Court Records in his Criminal trial. His attorney said it out loud in front of him and the entire court which caused everyone in attendance to laugh. Trump must be absolutely livid right now.”
Alison, an X user who identifies as “ANTI-MAGA,” wrote: “Trumps lawyer, Todd Blanche, argued in court today that Michael Cohen is daring Trump to respond to him by calling him ‘Vonshitzenpants.’ Why did they even bring this up? They literally could have taken any other angle but this one.”
Also on X, Ron Filipkowski, editor-in-chief of self-styled “pro-democracy” media outlet MeidasTouch, posted: “Just to be clear, it was Trump’s lawyer who introduced the ‘Vonshitzenpants’ exhibit into this trial. The DA never mentioned that. Which pretty much proves Trump’s lawyers hate him and are sticking it to him every chance they get.”
Newsweek contacted Todd Blanche and a spokesperson for Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign by email at 3:30 a.m. ET on Friday. This article will be updated if either wishes to comment.
Trump has been charged with 34 felony charges, including falsifying business records, which prosecutors say he did to cover up the payment of hush money to Stormy Daniels, a former adult film actress, ahead of the 2016 presidential election. The 2024 presumptive Republican presidential nominee has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has denied Daniels’ claim that they had a sexual relationship in 2006.
Evidence presented during the New York trial showed both Trump and Daniels used pseudonyms in their nondisclosure agreement about the alleged affair and were identified by name in a side agreement for lawyers only.
Speaking to Newsweek, Colleen Kerwick, a New York attorney, said: “It is unusual for a nondisclosure agreement to use pseudonyms as the agreement itself would be subject to the confidentiality clauses within it.”
In three other criminal cases, Trump has also been charged with mishandling classified documents then obstructing their return to the proper authorities; breaking the law while attempting to overturn the 2020 election results, both nationwide and in the state of Georgia specifically. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and claims the allegations against him are politically motivated.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.