Michael Cohen says that the Wall Street Journal story was seen as a “a real serious problem”.

He says he spoke to Donald Trump via bodyguard Keith Schiller’s phone to give him a rundown of the situation.

“I told him exactly who I had spoken to, my conversations with each of them,” Cohen claims.

Call records show Cohen also communicated with David Pecker, the National Enquirer publisher, and Keith Davidson, Stormy Daniels’ lawyer, during this time period.

They wanted to “do everything within our power to protect Mr Trump”, the ex-lawyer testifies.

Trump was angry on the call, Cohen claims. “because there was a negative story that once again could impact the campaign”.

We also got a glimpse of other fallout from the Wall Street Journal story about Karen McDougal’s payout.

Prosecutors show emails between Cohen and Trump’s campaign press secretary, Hope Hicks.

They swap drafts of public denials, talking back and forth about what to say.

Cohen also says he reached out to Keith Davidson to make sure his client, Stormy Daniels, hadn’t decided to “go rogue”.