Trump further in the tight

washington - President Trump has suffered two sensitive defeats in court. Michael Cohen, his former lawyer, made a deal with the law. Especially Cohens deal is bad news for the president. Cohen admitted that he had violated campaign laws, and that President Trump knew about it. These include the buying off of porn actress Stormy Daniels.

Trumps former campaign chief Paul Manafort was meanwhile convicted by the jury for another court on bank fraud and tax evasion. Manafort is in any case waiting a considerable prison sentence.

It is unclear whether Cohen will cooperate with the justice system and Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.

According to Trump, Robert Mueller's Russia research is a 'witch hunt'. According to Trump's lawyer team, Mueller goes too far and the investigation takes far too long. Trump and his team therefore hold a conversation with Mueller.

But Mueller has a broad mandate in which he can examine everything he encounters. And what Mueller encounters is increasingly damaging to the circle around President Trump. After a year, Mueller seems to come closer with the condemnation of Manafort and the 'plea bargain' of Cohen, even though the president himself is not mentioned.

Almost no one was closer to Trump than his personal lawyer. Michael Cohen is the man who knows exactly what is going on at the intersection of Trumps personal and his business life. He left problems for Trump. If there are more bodies in the closet, Cohen knows that.

It was Cohen who paid the porn star Stormy Daniels. It is the payment that Trump can cause problems. That payment took place just before the elections, and should therefore have been reported according to the election watchdog FEC. That did not happen. Trump said nothing about the payment. Later his lawyer Giuliani admitted that Trump knew about it. That can have legal consequences for the president.

Cohen seemed to give up his legal battle before. The once loyal Cohen said this time possible for his family to choose, and not for Trump. He released a secret recording on which Trump would be heard, talking about paying off an old playboy model.

In addition to Cohen, the Manafort Trump case has also been going on for a few weeks. The jury came to the judgment yesterday that Manafort is guilty of eight of the 18 charges.