Democratic strategist Joel Payne on Tuesday said President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE's former personal attorney Michael Cohen may have been using Monday's ABC News interview to signal to Trump that he needs help.

"I think he wanted to signal to the president, 'I need help. I'm struggling here. Please help me out,' " Payne said. "And I wouldn't be surprised if we saw the president signal some public signs of support to Michael Cohen to try to quell some of his concerns, because obviously the pressure is tightening up on him."

Cohen is under criminal investigation in the Southern District of New York for alleged bank fraud and campaign finance violations. Prosecutors are also probing his $130,000 payment to adult-film star Stormy Daniels as part of a nondisclosure agreement connected to an affair she says she had with Trump more than a decade ago. Payne's comments come after Cohen told ABC News in an interview Monday that his "first loyalty" lies with his family, not Trump.

“My wife, my daughter and my son have my first loyalty and always will,” Cohen said. “I put family and country first.”

Trump has called Cohen a "fine man," and in April he dismissed the possibility that Cohen would flip.

— Julia Manchester