But Cohen, who was born on Long Island and is often described as Mr. Trump’s “fixer” or “pit bull,” is no stranger to controversy. Known for his fierce loyalty to Mr. Trump, Cohen occasionally made headlines as a spokesman for the then-candidate during the 2016 campaign.
In 2015, for example, Cohen made on-the-record threats to a Daily Beast reporter. The publication was working on a story on Ivana Trump’s rape allegations against her then-husband, which she has since recanted, during their bitter divorce battle in the 1980s.
“I’m warning you, tread very f—ing lightly,” Cohen told the Daily Beast’s Tim Mak, “because what I’m going to do to you is going to be f—ing disgusting.”