United States President Donald Trump accused his former lawyer Michael Cohen of lying under pressure of prosecution as his White House grappled with allegations that the president had orchestrated a campaign cover-up to buy the silence of two women who claimed he had affairs with them.

Michael Cohen had said on Tuesday that he secretly used shell companies to make payments used to silence former Playboy model Karen McDougal and adult-film actress Stormy Daniels for the purpose of influencing the 2016 election.