Cohen once served as a loyal ally to Trump but ultimately severed ties with the businessman-turned-Republican politician. Cohen spent time behind bars for campaign finance violations he committed during his time working for Trump.
In a tweet on Wednesday morning, Cohen went on the offensive after a retired Air Force colonel called him out for “sour grapes.”
“How sad that as a USAF veteran you support a draft dodging, democracy destroying, autocratic wannabe,” Cohen wrote in the tweet. “We still thank you for your service.”
Shortly after Cohen slammed him via tweet, the veteran, Gerald Maxwell, clapped back.
“How sad that a president that gave US one of the best economy’s in decades, soaring profits, lower taxes, secure border, peace - is continuously attacked,” Maxwell replied.
Maxwell’s initial “sour grapes” comment came in response to another tweet in which Cohen described himself as “the guy who paid $130k to a porn star,” allegedly at Trump’s direction. Cohen bragged about two of his books becoming New York Times bestsellers and also having a “top rated news podcast.”
Cohen worked for many years as Trump’s personal attorney. After pleading guilty to charges including tax evasion, he received a prison sentence in December of 2018.
In November of 2021, Cohen’s house arrest ended. He is now among the former president’s fiercest critics.
Cohen told NBC News in October that he believes Trump’s allies haven’t abandoned him “because we are stupid.” The remarks came on the heels of a congressional committee’s vote to subpoena Trump related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Despite his mounting legal woes, Trump remains a frontrunner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.
Not everyone thinks that it’s a good move to lash out at Trump’s supporters.
Political analyst Craig Agranoff wrote to Newsweek that speaking ill of those with differing views can contribute to a “toxic political climate.” He added that it’s particularly important to treat military veterans with empathy and respect, “as they have often made significant sacrifices and risked their lives to protect our great country.
“It is important to be able to have respectful and civil discussions and debates about political issues, even if we disagree with one another, and it is important to treat others with kindess and respect, regardless of their beliefs,” said Agranoff, who is a professor at Florida Atlantic University. “Michael should know better.”
For his part, Trump, who announced he is running for president again in 2024, has experienced a rocky 2022.
His tax returns, which he’d long fought to keep under wraps, are expected to be released publicly on Friday. He recently became the first president in history to be referred for criminal prosecution, and he has defended himself against claims that he’d mishandled classified documents.
Newsweek reached out to Trump’s office for comment.
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