Donald Trump sued his former lawyer Michael Cohen on Wednesday, seeking at least $500 million in damages, as the former US president stepped up his attacks on his once-loyal lawyer after Cohen testified before a Manhattan grand jury that indicted Trump , reports Reuters. .

In a complaint filed in federal court in Miami, Trump accused Cohen of breaching attorney-client privilege and profiting by “spreading falsehoods” about him in books and podcasts.

Lenny Davis, Cohen’s attorney, called Trump’s lawsuit “frivolous.” Over the years, Trump has frequently filed lawsuits against various opponents.

“Mr. Trump is once again using and abusing the court system as a form of harassment and intimidation against Michael Cohen,” Davis said.

The lawsuit comes as Cohen, who once said he would do “anything” to defend Trump, appears poised to become a key witness against him in a possible criminal trial in New York based on allegations declassified last week.

Trump, who is running for the Republican Party in the 2024 presidential election, has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records.

It was the first time a former US president had been charged with a crime.

Prosecutors, led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, said Trump reimbursed Cohen $130,000 paid before the 2016 election to buy the silence of porn star Stormy Daniels, who said she had sex with Trump in 2006. Trump denies that such a relationship existed.

Trump claimed that Cohen unfairly called him a “racist” in his book “Disloyal” and fabricated conversations with Trump during his time as his lawyer.

“The timing of the release of Disloyalty, just before the November 3, 2020 presidential election, suggests that (Cohen) intended to improperly publicize (Trump’s) credibility when it would be most advantageous to do so — and at that time, Disloyalty.” would undoubtedly have the greatest negative impact on reputation,” the lawsuit states.

Trump lost the election to Democrat Joe Biden.