Trump Counsel Cohen: Liberal Media Has Distorted Mexico Comments

Donald Trump is never going to walk away from a fight, and only responds when someone has tossed an angry lob at him first, one of his advisers tells CNN.

In an frank interview with host Michael Smerconish — who himself was a Twittter target of the now-GOP presidential candidate —

I can't believe that @CNN would waste time and money with @smerconish - he has got nothing going. Jeff Zucker must be losing his touch!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 5, 2014

Michael Cohen, the executive vice president of the Trump Organization, and special consul to Trump, vigorously defended his boss's occasional angry responses.

"Donald Trump does not have thin skin," Cohen insisted. "What Donald Trump does is, he doesn’t let people attack him without being attacked back. That’s just his nature, that’s what made him the success that he is."

Cohen added: "Donald Trump is not somebody who's going to kowtow to anyone… He's right now leading the polls. … he going to be on the stage for the [GOP] debates and he's going to have his voice heard."

Cohen went to bat for Trump as well on his controversial remarks about illegal immigration letting Mexican drug and sexual criminals into the country, comments that have caused both praise and condemnation.

"He is telling it straight," Cohen insisted, referring to Trump's assertion that some illegal immigrants are committing crimes in the United States.

Cohen added that Trump's remarks weren't aimed at Mexicans or Latinos.

"That's a gross distortion by the liberal media that wants to take Donald Trump out of this race," Cohen declared. "[W]hat Donald Trump said in his speech was not directed at Mexicans … and he certainly did not say Latinos…. he referring to the Mexican government."

Subsequently, Cohen added, Trump "explained exactly what he meant… but they still don't want to hear it. So Donald Trump is not backing down."

Cohen allowed the remarks have had an impact on Trump's bottom line, but that "in comparison to his net worth, which is in excess of $8 billion, it's small potatoes to Donald Trump."

"He's willing to sacrifice these dollars when these spineless sponsors decide to walk away… they'll all be back down the road…" Cohen predicted.

Cohen also addressed the private call made to Trump by the Republican National Committee chairman, Reince Priebus.

"It was not a request for Mr. Trump to tone anything down," Cohen said, adding he was "privy to the conversation... He did, however, say a top priority of the GOP is actively seeking to create a better relationship with the Latino community and that he should just take that into consideration."