Adult film actress Stormy Daniels has confirmed her intention to testify in the upcoming trial of former President Donald Trump, centering on allegations of ‘hush money’ paid during the 2016 election campaign. The trial, which has garnered widespread attention, marks the first instance of criminal charges being brought against a former U.S. president.
Daniels, now 44, claims she received $130,000 to remain silent about an alleged affair with Trump that occurred while his wife, Melania, was pregnant with their son Barron. The charges against Trump pertain to reimbursements facilitated through an LLC to his former attorney, Michael Cohen. Trump has consistently maintained that the payments were legitimate and not illegal.
The alleged affair between Daniels and Trump reportedly took place in 2006 at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe. According to Daniels, Trump invited her to his hotel suite for dinner, where he showed her a magazine featuring his picture on the cover. Daniels recounted the encounter on her podcast, Beyond the Norm, and in a 2018 interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes.”
During the “60 Minutes” interview, Daniels detailed the evening, including a moment where she playfully spanked Trump with the magazine. She also described how Trump compared her to his daughter, praising her intelligence and beauty. Daniels admitted that she agreed to have consensual sex with Trump that evening.
In the year following their encounter, Daniels claimed that Trump kept in contact with her and even met with her again in 2007 at the Beverly Hills Hotel to discuss a potential appearance on his TV show, “Celebrity Apprentice.” However, she declined his advances during this meeting.
The controversy escalated in the days leading up to the 2016 presidential election when Daniels signed a non-disclosure agreement in exchange for a $130,000 payment. This agreement, facilitated by her then-lawyer Keith Davidson and Trump’s attorney Michael Cohen, was intended to prevent her from discussing the relationship publicly. Notably, Trump did not sign the agreement.
In 2018, following a Wall Street Journal report on the payment to Daniels, Cohen publicly stated that he used his own funds for the payment and was not instructed by Trump to do so.
As the trial approaches, Daniels’ testimony is expected to be a pivotal element, potentially shedding light on the details of the alleged affair and the subsequent financial arrangements.