Stormy Daniels Testifies She Had Sex with Trump, Defense Challenges Credibility
Adult film actress Stormy Daniels testified in court on Tuesday, describing her 2006 encounter with Donald Trump in negative terms. She stated she tried to avoid thinking about the sexual encounter while it was happening and feared it would become public.
Daniels, 45, provided detailed testimony about her interaction with Trump, 77, and the agreement she made to remain silent about it before the 2016 election when he became president.
Daniels shared that her life became chaotic after the arrangement was made public in 2018, as she experienced ostracization and harassment at home.
When asked by prosecutor Susan Hoffinger about whom Trump was referring to as “horseface” and “sleazebag” in a social media post, Daniels confirmed he was referring to her.
Daniels’ testimony prompted Trump’s legal team to request a mistrial, arguing that some of her statements, such as noting that Trump did not use a condom, were solely meant to influence the jury. Judge Juan Merchan denied the request but acknowledged that parts of her testimony went beyond what was necessary.
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Trump’s lawyers questioned her credibility and interrogated her about inconsistent statements she has made regarding her time with Trump.
Daniels admitted that she dislikes Trump and sought financial gain from her story. Her reasoning for going public after seven years of silence and denials was unclear.
Trump, a presidential candidate for the Republican party this year, watched from the defense table without reacting. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 hush money payment to Daniels and denies the alleged sexual encounter.
Trump’s legal team suggested Daniels sought a role on “The Apprentice,” a reality TV show hosted by Trump, a New York real estate mogul.
Daniels confirmed she hoped Trump would cast her on the show following their meeting.
“This was a very big day, a very revealing day. As you see, their case is falling apart,” Trump told reporters outside the courtroom at the end of the day. The trial will resume on Thursday, with Daniels set to testify again.
‘Only way you’re getting out of the trailer park’
Daniels testified that Trump made sexual advances after inviting her to his hotel suite at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Daniels said she was raised by a single, low-income mother.
Trump allegedly told Daniels: “This is the only way you’re getting out of the trailer park.”
Daniels claimed she “blacked out” despite not consuming any drugs or alcohol after Trump blocked her exit from the room. She woke up in bed without her clothes.
“I was trying to think about anything other than what was happening there,” Daniels said.
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, did not tell Trump to stop. She left the hotel room quickly afterward.
The former president claimed the trial was an effort to hinder his bid to retake the White House from Democratic President Joe Biden in the November 5 election.
Dressed in black with black glasses, Daniels testified that she worked in strip clubs and pornography after a childhood marked by her mother’s frequent absences.
Satin pajamas and a spanking
Daniels testified that Trump met her in his hotel suite wearing satin pajamas. She expressed frustration with Trump’s constant interruptions and asked him, “Are you always this arrogant and pompous?”
Trump then challenged Daniels to spank him with a magazine, and she obliged. “He was much more polite after that,” she said.
Trump appeared to respond with, “That’s bullshit,” as he watched from the defendant’s table.
The alleged encounter occurred while Trump was married to his current wife, Melania.
Daniels said she confided in only a few people about the sexual encounter and saw Trump at public events afterward but lost contact after he did not cast her on “The Apprentice.”
Daniels aimed to keep the incident private after receiving threats in a parking lot in 2011. However, she decided to speak out during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign when he faced multiple accusations of sexual misconduct.
“My motivation wasn’t money; it was to get the story out,” she explained.
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Daniels ultimately agreed to a $130,000 payment from Trump’s attorney Michael Cohen, with prosecutors alleging Trump falsified business records to conceal the reimbursement.
She testified she wanted to receive the payment before the 2016 election, fearing he might not pay her if he won.
The case is seen as less significant than three other criminal charges Trump faces, but it is the only one guaranteed to go to trial before the election.
The other cases involve allegations of attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election and mishandling classified documents after leaving office. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
In Florida, where Trump is accused of unlawfully retaining classified documents, a judge postponed the trial indefinitely, reducing the likelihood of a federal trial before the election.
Stormy Daniels Testifies She Had Sex with Trump, Defense Challenges Credibility