GEOFF BENNETT: Cross-examination wrapped up today for Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former lawyer and fixer who is also a central witness in the criminal hush money trial against a former president.

Mr. Trump's lead defense lawyer, Todd Blanche, portrayed Cohen as a serial liar and someone who was profited by turning against his former boss.

The prosecution has rested its case against the former president.

William Brangham was in court today and joins us now.

So, William, the cross-examination of Michael Cohen ended today, his fourth day on the stand.

How else did Mr. Trump's legal team try to undercut the man who is arguably the most important witness for the prosecution?

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Geoff, they did what they did a lot of last week as well, which is basically just point out all the ways that they could where Michael Cohen said one thing one time and then said the opposite another time.

They kept bringing up stories how Michael Cohen said once upon a time that Donald Trump had no knowledge of the Stormy Daniels hush money scheme and now claims that he did.

Todd Blanche again was saying that Michael Cohen is not motivated to be some truth-teller, as Cohen sometimes likes to portray himself, but is instead motivated by vengeance and greed.

He again brought up how Cohen has made millions of dollars off books and podcasts and things like that.

He's arguing that, if Trump is convicted, Cohen will make even more money on top of that.

He got Michael Cohen to admit that at one point he actually stole money from the Trump Organization.

And, again, all of these stories are just to reiterate to the jurors that Michael Cohen is not a trustworthy witness and that everything that's coming out of his mouth on the stand in front of you, jurors, cannot be believed.

Now, Cohen himself under all of this cross-examination reiterated what he has said all along, which is, yes, I lied at one point for Michael -- for Donald Trump because I was loyal to him and I was under his sway, but I'm not anymore and now I'm telling the truth.

GEOFF BENNETT: So when it was the Trump legal teams turned to present their case, it called as a witness the attorney Robert Costello, who tried to further undercut Michael Cohen's credibility.

What did Mr. Costello have to say on the witness stand?

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Costello is a former federal prosecutor, now a lawyer in private practice.

And back in 2018, after Michael Cohen's offices and hotel room and apartment were raided by the FBI with regards to a different investigation, Costello offered himself to Cohen as a legal adviser.

And, again, this was back during the time when Michael Cohen was still saying that Donald Trump had no knowledge of the Stormy Daniels affair.

And Cohen says that Costello, to him, felt like he was part of a pressure campaign by Rudy Giuliani, who Costello is very close with, and by Donald Trump to make sure that Michael Cohen never changed that story.

On the stand today, Costello said: When I first met Michael Cohen, he said, I have nothing on Donald Trump to offer any authorities.

Donald Trump knew nothing about the Stormy Daniels business.

He said that the Michael Cohen was somewhat manic and near-suicidal, and he rejected any notion that he had been trying to pressure Cohen to change his story.

Costello's testimony was something of a last-minute addition, and he was truly a cantankerous and feisty witness.

At several times today, he expressed verbal displeasure with judge's comments, with the judge sustaining certain objections.

And, at one point, the judge was so perturbed by how Costello was behaving that he cleared the courtroom and basically gave Costello a tongue-lashing, saying, when you are in my courtroom, you will not behave this way.

You will uphold a certain level of decorum.

You will not be giving me any side-eye.

And, if this keeps going, there are going to be repercussions here.

The jury was brought back in, and Costello finished his testimony.

He will still be on the stand for more cross-examination tomorrow, though.

GEOFF BENNETT: So, in the less than 30 seconds we have left, William, walk us through the timing for the rest of this trial.

Expected to wrap up as early as next week?

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: That was the plan originally that we would be done this week, but the judge did not want to have a circumstance where, this week, jury got to hear the closing arguments from both sides and then sat basically with that information for the entire Memorial Day weekend.

So he said, because Costello's testimony ran a little bit long, we're going to push all of this off and have closing arguments Tuesday after Memorial Day.

GEOFF BENNETT: All right, that is William Brangham again in New York City for us tonight.

William, thank you.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Thanks, Geoff.