STORMY WEATHER
Donald Trump visibly uncomfortable as Stormy Daniels gives frank testimony on their ‘relationship’ at hush money trial
Stormy Daniels testified about first meeting Trump during a golf tournament in 2006
PORN star Stormy Daniels has been called to the stand in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the deflated former president sat steps away, visibly uncomfortable.
The adult film star, who was born Stephanie Clifford, gave blunt testimony about her alleged relationship with Trump on the 13th day of his criminal trial in downtown Manhattan.
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Stormy Daniels, who walked into the courtroom wearing all black, spoke about her upbringing in Louisiana, how she started in the adult industry, and her first encounter with the former president in 2006.
Daniels, 45, recalled meeting Trump at a golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, on the border of California and Nevada, where she was working at the event to promote the porn studio Wicked Pictures.
"He was as old or older than my father," Daniels, who was 27 when she met then-60-year-old Trump, said on the stand.
The adult entertainment star said Trump's bodyguard, Keith Schiller, told her the real estate tycoon was "interested in having her join him for dinner."
Daniels said she declined, but Schiller gave her his contact information, which she saved as "Keith Trump."
Eventually, Daniels said her publicist encouraged her to go to dinner with Trump and meet him at his penthouse hotel room.
Trump greeted her in his "silk or satin pajamas," Daniels recalled, before changing into a suit and heading to the hotel restaurant.
Daniels said the pair talked about a wide range of topics, including her work in the porn industry, Trump's marriage to Melania, and a potential collaboration on his television show, The Apprentice.
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The adult star said Trump told her not to worry about Melania, adding that the two "did not even sleep in the same room."
Trump shook his head and closed his eyes as Daniels told the jury about his supposed sleeping arrangement with his wife, 54.
Donald Trump's lawyers will never put him on the stand in Stormy Daniels hush money trial for key reason, expert warns
Daniels continued her testimony and recalled Trump showing her a magazine cover he was pictured on.
She remembered snapping at him for being rude, telling him, "Are you always this arrogant and pompous? You don't even know how to have a conversation."
The adult star told the jury how she spanked Trump "on the right butt" with the magazine.
At that moment, Trump had an irritated expression and appeared to have mouthed "bulls**t" to himself as she mentioned the embarrassing moment to the jurors, according to The New York Times.
'WHAT DID I MISREAD?'
After the court went on break, Daniels continued her testimony and vividly detailed how, after dinner, they went to Trump's hotel room, where she went into his bathroom and looked through his toiletry bag.
When she exited the bathroom to leave, Daniels said Trump was seated in the bedroom bed, in his boxer shorts and T-shirt, waiting for her.
"I felt the blood leave my hands and my feet, almost like if you stand up too fast," she told the jury, according to The New York Times.
"I thought, 'Oh my god, what did I misread to get here?'
"At first, I was just startled, like a jump scare. I wasn't expecting someone to be there, especially minus a lot of clothing."
Daniels said Trump's intentions were clear after she saw him in his boxer shorts.
"The intention was pretty clear, somebody stripped down to their underwear and is posing for you," she said on the stand.
"He stood up between me and the door. Not in a threatening manner. He didn't come at me, he didn't rush at me. Nothing like that.
"There was an imbalance of power for sure. He was bigger and blocking the way. I was not threatened verbally or physically."
'IT WAS GREAT, HONEY BUNCH'
Daniels went on to describe the moments that led to her alleged sexual encounter with Trump.
"Next thing I know, I was on the bed," she told the packed courtroom, saying she could not remember how her clothes came off.
"I had my clothes and my shoes off. I removed my bra. We were in missionary position."
Trump has repeatedly denied having an affair with Daniels.
The porn star said she had sex with Trump and went into more vivid detail by claiming he did not use a condom.
"Did you say anything about it?" prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked, to which Daniels replied, "No. I didn't say anything at all."
Daniels said the encounter was "brief" and she was left shaking and bewildered after it was over.
"He said, 'Oh it was great, let's get together again honey bunch,'" Daniels told the courtroom.
She said she had subsequent encounters with Trump but declined his future advances.
"I wanted to maintain that sort of relationship. The chance to be on The Apprentice was still in the air, and it would've been great for my career," she testified.
Daniels said during a party in January 2007 in Los Angeles, which was sponsored by Trump, she met Karen McDougal, the former Playboy model who also claims to have had an affair with the former president.
On that day, Daniels said Trump repeatedly propositioned her to go home with him that night, but she declined.
She said she last saw Trump in June 2007 at his bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
During that encounter, Daniels said she again spurned Trump's advances after he told her he missed her and wanted to get together again.
Daniels testified that she had stayed in contact with Trump and spoke to him several times over the phone, but eventually, he informed her that he could not put her on The Apprentice.
Trump's team requested a mistrial after the first part of Daniels' testimony, claiming her remarks had “nothing to do with this case and is extremely prejudicial.”
The judge rejected the request, saying, "I don’t believe we’re at the point where a mistrial is warranted."
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Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts in connection with alleged hush money payments.
His trial is now in its third week of testimony.
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Donald Trump's legal battles
Donald Trump is the first former president to be charged with state or federal crimes. He has been indicted four times and faces a slew of charges. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, is juggling dates in court with rallies on the campaign trail. The U.S. Sun breaks down the former president's current legal battles.
New York Business Records:
- Trump stands accused of falsifying business records allegedly connected to $130,000 of hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
- The payment, which was executed by Trump's ex-attorney, Michael Cohen, ensured an embarrassing story wasn't published in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election.
- Trump could face up to four years in prison if convicted.
- Trump can only be pardoned by the governor of New York if he is convicted.
- The trial began on April 15 and is expected to last through May.
Federal Classified Documents:
- Trump is accused of mishandling classified documents after he left office and storing them at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
- He has also been accused of obstructing federal agents as they tried to reclaim the documents.
- Trump is further alleged to have shown the trove of files to people who were not supposed to see them.
- Trump faces a slew of charges, including allegations he violated the Espionage Act.
- Trump is also accused of engaging in a conspiracy to obstruct justice.
- He could face 100 years in prison if convicted.
- The case is not expected to go to trial before the November election.
- If Trump wins, he could either pardon himself or order the Department of Justice to drop the charges because the case was brought at the federal level.
Federal Election Subversion:
- In August 2023, the Department of Justice indicted Trump over the events linked to the January 6 insurrection and organizing false slates of electors.
- Trump has been charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, conspiracy against rights, and obstruction of an attempt to obstruct an official proceeding.
- If convicted, Trump could get a maximum sentence of 55 years in prison.
- A trial date has not yet been decided, but the case is unlikely to go to trial before the November election.
- The Supreme Court is considering arguments surrounding whether Trump is immune from prosecution for some or all actions while in the White House.
Georgia Election Interference:
- Trump and 18 others have been accused of attempting to alter the outcome of the 2020 election in Georgia by pressuring local officials and election workers.
- The district attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, which includes Atlanta, indicted Trump on racketeering charges in August 2023.
- He turned himself into a Georgia jail and had his mugshot taken.
- A trial is not expected to take place before the November election.
- Trump cannot pardon himself if he's convicted because the charges were brought at the state level.
- In Georgia, only a board that is appointed by the governor can approve pardons.