His party switch was followed shortly by an announcement from the GOP that he was added to the Republican National Committee's finance leadership team as national deputy chairman.

This isn't the first time that Cohen switched to the Republican Party, however, having run a failed bid as a Republican for an Upper East Side city council seat in 2003, according to real estate news site The Real Deal.

Well before that, his other earlier forays into professional politics came on the Democratic side, including volunteering for Michael Dukakis' 1988 presidential campaign and working as a legislative intern for former Rep. Joe Moakley, D-Mass.

\"PHOTO:
Andrew Harnik/AP, FILE
PHOTO: In this Sept. 19, 2017, file photo, President Donald Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen departs following a closed door meeting with the Senate Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington.
>

Financial ties

When it comes to his real estate needs, Cohen appears to keep it in the family.

Cohen has publicly touted the financial benefits of his investments in Trump-branded real estate in a 2007 New York Post article.

At the time, Cohen said that he bought his first apartment at Trump World Tower in New York in 2001, and he urged his parents, in-laws and business partner to follow suit.

The New York Post reported that both Cohen and his in-laws went on to buy more Trump properties: up to four apartments in Manhattan and New Jersey for Cohen, and two more New York apartments and a Florida property by his in-laws.

Cohen told the paper that Trump properties \"are solid investments,\" and Trump returned the compliment, saying Cohen \"has a great insight into the real estate market\" and that \"he's a very smart person.\"

\"PHOTO:
Shawn Thew/EPA via Shutterstock
PHOTO: Michael Cohen, a former lawyer for President Trump's business and a close associate of the president meets with Senate Intelligence Committee, Sept. 19, 2017, in Washington.
>

Personal side

While Cohen's public image is intrinsically intertwined with Trump, he has shared some tidbits of information about his personal life online as well.

Cohen has used his online presence to praise his \"Ivy League daughter,\" which prompted some outcry since it was accompanied by a picture of her modeling in tights and lingerie.

Recently he announced that while he is a fan of Oprah, he doesn't think her much-hyped presidential run is going to happen.

And he's defended himself against claims of being a racist by posting that he is the \"son of a Holocaust survivor\" along with a collage of photos of him with various African American Trump supporters.

As the son of a holocaust survivor, I have no tolerance for #racism. Just because I support @POTUS @realDonaldTrump doesn't make me a racist pic.twitter.com/lfIwdosreE

— Michael Cohen (@MichaelCohen212) August 16, 2017

But the most constant topic of conversation on Cohen's Twitter account is undeniably the Trump administration, members of the Trump family, and Trump himself.

One declaration of support came in honor of Trump's birthday in July 2017, where Cohen shared a picture of them together in what looks like Trump's New York City office.

\"I stand with you every day as you work to #MakeAmericaGreatAgain for all Americans!\" Cohen wrote.

RT...Happy birthday to our @POTUS @realDonaldTrump. I stand with you every day as you work to #MakeAmericaGreatAgain for all Americans! pic.twitter.com/XHY9YpItKs

— Michael Cohen (@MichaelCohen212) June 14, 2017
","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/US/meet-michael-cohen-trumps-longtime-lawyer-paid-stormy/story?id=53079786","legacySlug":"/news/story/meet-michael-cohen-trumps-longtime-lawyer-paid-stormy-53079786","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"18:31","publishDate":"02-14-2018","updatedTime":"19:13","updatedDate":"02-14-2018","socialImage":{"alt":"Michael Cohen, an attorney for Donald Trump, arrives in Trump Tower in New York City, Dec. 16, 2016. Cohen acknowledged, Aug. 28, 2017, that the president's company considered building a Trump Tower in Moscow during the Republican primary, but that the plan was abandoned \"for a variety of business reasons.\" He said that at one point he reached out to the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin about approvals from the Russian government. ","credit":"Richard Drew/AP","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Politics/michael-cohen-gty-mem-170828_4_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"2/14/2018 18:31:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":53079786,"headline":"Meet Michael Cohen, Trump's longtime lawyer ","mediaAssetTitle":"MICHAEL COHEN PROFILE","description":"Cohen has worked with Trump for years.","duration":"1:03","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/09/180920_vod_orig_cohenupdateMIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["133741861","133707237","133144263"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"June 10, 2026","headline":"NASA unveils Artemis III crew","section":"News","slug":"/video/133741861","id":"133741861","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: NASA unveils Artemis III crew","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: NASA unveils Artemis III crew","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"June 9, 2026","headline":"Flash flood threat as dangerous weather on the move","section":"News","slug":"/video/133707237","id":"133707237","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Flash flood threat as dangerous weather on the move","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Flash flood threat as dangerous weather on the move","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"May 20, 2026","headline":"Fashion mogul’s son arrested in father’s fatal fall","section":"News","slug":"/video/133144263","id":"133144263","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fashion mogul’s son arrested in father’s fatal fall","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fashion mogul’s son arrested in father’s fatal fall","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Meet Michael Cohen, Trump's longtime lawyer ","description":"Cohen has worked with Trump for years.","duration":"1:03","uploadDate":"02-14-2018","publication":"02-14-2018","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/09/180920_vod_orig_cohenupdateMIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/09/180920_vod_orig_cohenupdateMIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/meet-michael-cohen-trumps-longtime-lawyer-paid-stormy-53079786"}},"playlist":[{"id":"133730535","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133712423","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133694181","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133688738","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133616358","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133616342","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133522899","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133584123","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133579397","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133482839","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133390157","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133415361","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133414032","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133380485","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133358298","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133350119","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133307515","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133307527","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133282665","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133220149","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"Meet Michael Cohen, Trump's longtime lawyer ","pubTime":"13:31","pubDate":"02-14-2018","modTime":"14:13","modDate":"02-14-2018","taxonomyTags":"none","id":53079786,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Meet Michael Cohen, Trump's longtime lawyer ","mediaAssetTitle":"MICHAEL COHEN PROFILE","videoId":53079786,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/meet-michael-cohen-trumps-longtime-lawyer-paid-stormy-53079786"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/53079786","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/53079786","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};