Cohen, in an interview with ABC News earlier this month, rejected Trump's favorite term - the 'witch hunt' - for Mueller's investigation, praised the professional conduct of FBI agents and blasted any Russian interference in U.S. elections.
'I don't like the term witch hunt,' Cohen said.
As he has in prior comments, Cohen said the FBI agents who carried out the April raid of his home, office, and a hotel where he was staying were professional in their conduct – even though Trump himself blasted the move as a violation of attorney-client privilege when it happened.
'I don't agree with those who demonize or vilify the FBI. I respect the FBI as an institution, as well as their agents,' Cohen said, following weeks where the president went after the 'FBI lovers' and others involved in the Russia and Hillary Clinton probes.
'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,' Cohen said.
Asked whether he would cooperate with prosecutors, Cohen wouldn't give a direct answer, despite the host's efforts to pin him down in a 45-minute interview.
'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,' Cohen said, referencing the former head of the criminal division of the U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan.
The clearest sign Cohen may be free to talk is the reported end of a joint agreement between Cohen and Trump's legal team to share information.
The end of those agreements can signal a change in relationship. Michael Flynn's lawyers stopped sharing info with Trump's attorneys shortly before he flipped.
According to ABC, once Petrillo takes over as Cohen's lead lawyer, the joint defense agreement between Cohen and Trump will no longer be operative.
That would leave Cohen free to seek to negotiate an agreement to assist prosecutors with any information he may have in exchange for a more lenient sentence if he were to be charged with a crime.
Giuliani declined to say on Sunday whether joint defense agreement between Cohen, Trump legal team is still operable, noting 'it wouldn't matter whether it was or it wasn't. We think we know everything we need to know at this point.'
Another Cohen friend told CNN earlier this month that whether he decides to cooperate with investigators would depend on what is ultimately in any indictment.
If the indictment is deemed relatively less serious than expected, it's possible Cohen would choose to plead guilty.
'Anything is a possibility,' the person said.
Cohen has not been charged with any wrongdoing but he is under criminal investigation for potential bank fraud, campaign finance violations, and tax issues – some of which are connected to the non-disclosure agreement he inked with Stormy Daniels, with whom he facilitated a $130,000 payment to cover an alleged affair with Trump. The White House has denied an affair.
Cohen's home and office were raided by federal agents in April and his attorneys have been combing through 3.7 million files and hundreds of encrypted messages for privileged information.
In June, Giuliani predicted Cohen wouldn't flip or cooperate with prosecutors against the president – who has not been named as a target of the Mueller investigation.
'He's not cooperating nor do we care because the president did nothing wrong,' Giuliani told Fox News host Laura Ingraham. 'I am absolutely certain of that.'
'Michael Cohen, I think, would tell you he's got nothing incriminating with the president,' Giuliani said.
Cohen helped negotiate a series of non-disclosure agreements, including one involving Trump and porn star Stormy Daniels, both using pseudonyms. Cohen also was in contact with top Russian officials about a potential Trump Tower Moscow in 2016.
And, in June, Trump wouldn't rule out the possibility of a pardon for Cohen or his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
'I haven't even thought about it,' Trump told reporters, referring to Manafort and Cohen. 'I haven't thought about any of it. It's certainly far too early to be thinking about that.'
He added, 'They haven't been convicted of anything. There's nothing to pardon.'
Manafort has been indicted while Cohen remains under investigation.
