Former President Donald Trump relished a “very interesting day” after his defense team roughed up Michael Cohen, the star witness in the hush money case against the presumptive GOP nominee.

A gag order bars Mr. Trump from talking about witnesses in the case. But he seemed pleased with how the cross-examination of Mr. Cohen, his lawyer-turned-accuser, unfolded on Thursday. He also repeated his belief the case is politically motivated.

“That was my crime — I won an election I wasn’t supposed to win against Hillary Clinton,” Mr. Trump said, evoking the case’s focus on actions near the 2016 election. 

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He said when he announced his 2024 campaign, “it was a hot iron again.”

Prosecutors allege Mr. Trump, using Mr. Cohen, paid $130,000 in hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016 and then concealed reimbursements to Mr. Cohen in an unlawful manner.

Mr. Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records.

His attorney, Todd Blanche, cast doubt on the veracity of Mr. Cohen’s version of events by pointing to an oddity in his testimony about a key phone call with Mr. Trump.

Records suggested the brunt of the call from Mr. Cohen to Mr. Trump’s bodyguard, Keith Schiller, focused on a young prankster who called his phone, though Mr. Cohen insists the call included Mr. Trump’s approval of the Daniels payment.

“I think it was a very interesting day, a fascinating day and it shows what a scam this whole thing is,” Mr. Trump said.

Mr. Trump said the trial and other cases are being rushed to ruin his campaign against President Biden.

“You know, they’re trying to rush to get it done before the election so that they can harm me, so they can hurt their political opponent,” Mr. Trump said. 

Other cases against him may not go to trial before November, though the New York trial could reach a verdict before the month is over, or at least by mid-June.