President Trump told a reporter Tuesday he asked a “stupid question” about a pardon for attorney Michael Cohen.
Trump made the remark in the Oval Office after welcoming French President Emmanuel Macron.
Federal agents raided the office and residence of Cohen, Trump’s longtime personal lawyer, earlier this month.
Cohen arranged an October 2016 nondisclosure deal in which he paid porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 for her silence about an alleged affair with Trump.
Cohen claims he paid Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, with his own money, which some experts say could constitute an illegal campaign contribution.
The Wall Street Journal reported that federal prosecutors are investigating Cohen for possible bank fraud.
Trump angrily denounced the raid on Cohen, declaring it showed a lack of respect for attorney-client privilege. Consideration of seized documents is being fought over in court.
Trump has issued three pardons thus far in his presidency.
Last year, he pardoned political ally Joe Arpaio. This year, he pardoned Kristian Saucier, a former Navy sailor jailed for taking photos inside a nuclear submarine, and I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, a former aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, convicted of making false statements.
