Adult film actress, Stormy Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, in a dramatic day of testimony at the Manhattan courthouse took the stand in the historic criminal trial of former President, Donald Trump.
Daniels recounted a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump, which is at the center of the charges against him.
The charges stem from a $130,000 payment made to Daniels on the eve of the 2016 Presidential election.
Prosecutors allege that Trump falsified business records to reimburse his lawyer, Michael Cohen, for this payment, aimed at preventing Daniels from disclosing their encounter during his campaign against Hillary Clinton.
Under the gaze of Trump, who sat stony-faced and silent, Daniels detailed the encounter, which she claimed took place in Trump’s hotel penthouse.
According to Daniels, Trump was interested in her career in adult films and even suggested a potential spot for her on his reality TV show, “The Apprentice.”
The testimony turned explicit as Daniels described the attire Trump wore, their brief sexual interaction, and her feelings of shame for not refusing his advances.
She emphasized that there was no physical or verbal threat but acknowledged an “imbalance of power” in the situation.
The courtroom tension peaked when Trump’s defense unsuccessfully moved for a mistrial, citing prejudice in Daniels’ recounting of a 2011 threat she received, allegedly linked to her silence about the encounter with Trump.
The trial continues to draw intense public and media scrutiny, as Trump, under a partial gag order, faces significant legal challenges six months before he attempts to recapture the presidency in the upcoming election against Joe Biden.
This legal battle unfolds as Trump has already been fined for violating the gag order, with further breaches potentially leading to jail time.
