The president's former attorney has previously said he'd "do anything" for the president, but in the interview, which was not on camera, he took a different tone on the investigation Trump has called a "witch hunt
""I don't agree with those who demonize or vilify the FBI," Cohen said.“When they searched my hotel room and my home, it was obviously upsetting to me and my family
Nonetheless, the agents were respectful, courteous and professional.I thanked them for their service and as they left, we shook hands
"Last month, Trump said Cohen was no longer his personal attorney."No, he's not my lawyer anymore, but I always liked Michael
And he's a good person," Trump told reporters.Cohen also said he was not involved in any Russian meddling into the 2016 election
The lawyer was ensnared in a federal investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election earlier this year, when FBI agents raided his office and hotel room after receiving a referral from special counsel Robert Mueller III
The raid seized documents related to several issues, including a payment made to a pornographic actress known as Stormy Daniels, who has claimed she had a sexual relationship with Trump years ago
The White House has denied her claim.Cohen has not been charged with a crime; he was recently interviewed by the Senate and House committees investigating the matter
Cohen also broke with his past statement that he paid off Stormy Daniels of his own initiative, refusing to answer ABC on whether the president directed him to make the payment or promised reimbursement
"I want to answer.One day I will answer," Cohen said."But for now, I can't comment further on advice of my counsel
"The president has also said he didn't think Cohen would cooperate with federal authorities
"Most people will flip if the Government lets them out of trouble," Trump tweeted in April
"Sorry, I don't see Michael doing that."Cohen recently changed attorneys, retaining former federal prosecutor Guy Petrillo, splitting with lawyers obtained in a partnership with the president's attorneys, according to ABC News
In recent days, Cohen has seemingly sought to clear his name.On Thursday, he tweeted that he wasn’t involved in Russian collusion and he was "owed an apology
"He also seemed to revel in the media attention; he tweeted on Sunday that his "silence was broken!" The interview, he told ABC News, was a step towards "resolution
Michael Cohen hints at flipping and says 'first loyalty' is to family – not Trump
Trump’s longtime fixer tells Good Morning America ‘I will not be a punching bag as part of anyone’s defense strategy’
Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former personal attorney, will put “family and country first” as investigations continue into his work for the president, including a payment to an adult film star who claims to have had an affair with Trump
Is Trump really winning? The truth about the president's popularity. Read more.Cohen’s remarks, in an off-camera interview with ABC’s Good Morning America, will intensify speculation that he may be prepared to “flip” and co-operate with both prosecutors in New York and investigators looking into Russian election interference and alleged collusion between Trump aides and Moscow
Cohen has frequently been aggressive towards reporters working on stories about Trump
 He said last September he was “the guy who would take a bullet for the president” and would “never walk away”
But speaking to George Stephanopoulos in the ABC interview, which was conducted on Saturday at a hotel in New York City, he said: “My wife, my daughter and my son have my first loyalty and always will
 I put family and country first.”.In answer to the question of whether he expected Trump to turn on him, Cohen said: “I will not be a punching bag as part of anyone’s defense strategy
 I am not a villain of this story, and I will not allow others to try to depict me that way
”.Cohen’s home and offices were raided by FBI agents in April, after a referral from Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating matters related to Russia
Cohen has not been charged with any crime. He told ABC: “Once I understand what charges might be filed against me, if any at all, I will defer to my new counsel, Guy Petrillo, for guidance
”.Petrillo is a former federal prosecutor who was once head of the criminal division of the US Attorney’s Office in Manhattan
In April, Trump tweeted that though “most people will flip if the government lets them out of trouble, even if it means lying or making up stories”, he did not “see Michael doing that”
 He also called Cohen a “fine person with a wonderful family”.Trump denies collusion with Russia
 He has denied Stormy Daniels’ claims of an affair. But in May his current lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, admitted that Trump reimbursed Cohen for a payment of $130,000 which Daniels claims was made shortly before the 2016 election in order to keep her quiet
 Filings by Trump showed payments of $250,000 to Cohen in 2017.Cohen did not discuss the Daniels payment with ABC
 “I want to answer,” he said. “One day I will answer. But for now, I can’t comment further on advice of my counsel
”.Of his work for Trump, he said: “As an attorney and as an employee, I tried to make good faith judgments in the past
 I also acknowledge that I am not perfect. I would prefer not to be in this situation at all, obviously
“I want to regain my name and my reputation and my life back.”.Regarding Trump’s repeated claim that the Mueller investigation is a “witch-hunt”, Cohen said: “I don’t like the term witch hunt
 As an American, I repudiate Russia’s or any other foreign government’s attempt to interfere or meddle in our democratic process, and I would call on all Americans to do the same
”.Trump last week tweeted that Russia “continues to say they had nothing to do with Meddling in our Election!” He will meet Vladimir Putin in Helsinki later this month
 He told reporters on Friday he would press the Russian president about election interference
Cohen said he respected the “unanimous conclusions” of “our nation’s intelligence agencies” that Russia did interfere and added: “Simply accepting the denial of Mr Putin is unsustainable
”.Cohen told ABC he thought Mueller would not find evidence he colluded with Russians himself
An infamous meeting at Trump Tower in June 2016 between Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner, then campaign chair Paul Manafort and a group of Russians promising dirt on Hillary Clinton was, he said, “a mistake” and “an example of poor judgment”
Asked if he thought Donald Trump had known of that meeting in advance, Cohen said he could not comment, under the advice of his counsel
Another former Trump confidante, former White House strategist Steve Bannon, famously called the Trump Tower meeting “treasonous” and said there was “zero” chance Donald Trump Jr would not have introduced the Russians involved to his father
Trump’s knowledge of the meeting and role in drafting a misleading statement about the meeting is one instance under investigation by Mueller as he seeks to determine if the president sought to obstruct justice
Manafort is one of four former Trump aides to have been indicted by Mueller. He denies financial charges against him and is currently in jail, over alleged witness tampering, while awaiting trial
 Manafort’s deputy Rick Gates, former foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos and former national security adviser Michael Flynn are all co-operating with investigators
In his ABC interview, Cohen concluded: “I want to regain my name and my reputation and my life back
