Washington: US President Donald Trump is accusing his former lawyer Michael Cohen of lying under pressure of prosecution as the White House grapples with allegations that Trump orchestrated a campaign plan to buy the silence of two women who claim to have had affairs with him.

Amid mounting legal and political threats, Trump took to Twitter to accuse Cohen - who pleaded guilty to eight criminal charges, including campaign finance violations on Tuesday - of making up "stories in order to get a 'deal"' from federal prosecutors.

US President Donald Trump Credit:Bloomberg

Cohen told prosecutors the violations were coordinated by both himself and Trump.

Behind closed doors Trump has expressed concern that Cohen, who has intimate knowledge of his political, personal and business dealings, had turned on him.