In less than 48 hours, an online campaign has raised more than $130,000 to help Michael Cohen “as he goes forward on his journey to tell the truth about Donald Trump”.

Cohen, the president’s former personal lawyer and purported “fixer”, pleaded guilty to eight felony charges on Tuesday, claiming in the process that the president had directed him to make unlawful payments to two women to buy their silence during the 2016 presidential campaign.

The GoFundMe campaign was set up in the aftermath of Cohen’s appearance a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday, and has already attracted more than $136,800 towards its goal of $500,000.

“The Michael Cohen Truth Fund is a transparent trust account, with all donations going to help Michael Cohen and his family as he goes forward on his journey to tell the truth about Donald Trump,” a description of the fundraiser, which was launched by Cohen’s lawyer, says.

The hostility that language suggests towards the president represents a dramatic change in rapport between Cohen and his former client. Before July, when he publicly declared his independence from Mr Trump, Cohen had been considered to be the former businessman and celebrity’s “fixer”. He even suggested he would take a bullet for the president.

The bad blood appears to be mutual these days.

Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests Show all 16 1 /16 Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests President Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki Reuters Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests An advert from Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat is on display in Helsinki Reuters Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests President Trump in a meeting with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto AFP/Getty Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests President Trump meets with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in Helsinki EPA Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests President Trump talks with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in Mantyniemi, the official residence of the Finnish President EPA Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests US, Finnish and Russian flags fly in front of the Presidential Palace in Helsinki EPA Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests A protester wears a mask featuring a portrait of Russian President Vladimir Putin during the so-called "Helsinki against Trump and Putin" demonstration on July 16, 2018, in the Finnish capital Helsinki. The US and Russian leaders opened an historic summit in Helsinki on Monday, with Donald Trump promising an "extraordinary relationship" and Vladimir Putin saying it was high time to thrash out disputes around the world. / AFP PHOTO / Jonathan NACKSTRANDJONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images JONATHAN NACKSTRAND AFP/Getty Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests Vladimir Putin gifts a football to President Trump at the press conference that followed their meeting AP Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests Trump supporters hold banners during a demonstration in Helsinki AFP/Getty Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests People protest for women's reproductive rights in Helsinki's Senate Square Reuters Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests A crowd watches the motorcade transporting President Trump through Helsinki AFP/Getty Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests Russian President Putin drives through Helsinki on his way to meet with President Trump EPA Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests A man in the audience of the joint press conference holds up a sign sign that reads "NUCLEAR WEAPON BAN TREATY". REUTERS Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests A man is removed from the joint press conference in Helsinki. Security removed the man after he pulled out a sign that read "NUCLEAR WEAPON BAN TREATY". REUTERS Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests President Trump and Russia's President Putin sit for a working lunch in Finland's Presidential Palace AFP/Getty Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests President Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki Reuters

Just a day after Cohen pleaded guilty to felony charges, Mr Trump insulted his personal lawyer in a tweet, saying that he would not recommend hiring Cohen for legal counsel.

“If anyone is looking for a good lawyer, I would strongly suggest that you don’t retain the services of Michael Cohen!” he wrote.

Cohen’s guilty pleas contributed to one of the worst days for Mr Trump, legally speaking, since he took office in 2017. Within minutes of his appearance in court, a jury in Virginia found former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort guilty on eight charges brought against him by the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

That verdict for Manafort represented the first trial victory for special counsel Robert Mueller’s team, which the president has frequently attacked as a “witch hunt” that is hell bent on taking down his presidency.

Cohen’s charges were not brought against him by the special counsel’s team, and were instead litigated by federal attorneys with the US Southern District of New York.

His charges — which also included tax and bank fraud accusations, in addition to the campaign finance violations for the payments to two women — shocked the New York courtroom where he pleaded guilty on Tuesday, admitting that the president had instructed him to make a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, and a payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal. The payments were made to keep both women quiet about alleged affairs between them and Mr Trump, and occurred in the home stretch of the 2016 election.