Hush money trial: Stormy Daniels reveals racy details about sexual encounter with Trump

Former US president Donald Trump returned to court on Tuesday (May 7) for the 13th day of his historic criminal trial in the hush money case. The court heard from key witness adult film actor Stormy Daniels as she detailed the 2006 alleged sexual encounter with Trump, which she was paid to stay silent about ahead of 2016 presidential elections.

The former president is on trial based on the charges stemming from $130,000 in hush money allegedly paid to Daniels, 45, ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

Everything Stormy Daniels said

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, spoke about her alleged sexual encounter with Trump for several hours in court and seemingly did not hold back on the racy details.

Judge Juan Merchan, who often appeared annoyed, scolded the prosecution about the “degree of detail” that Daniels was asked about the encounter and called it “unnecessary”.

Daniels began her testimony by talking about her childhood and upbringing in the US state of Louisiana, how she got into exotic dancing, and her decades-long career in the adult entertainment industry.

She and Trump met at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, Nevada where he made sexual advances after inviting her to his hotel suite, said the witness, while he was married to his wife Melania.

Daniels also told the jurors that her life descended into “chaos” after the hush money arrangement was made public in 2018 and spoke about her family being “ostracised” and how she was harassed at her home.

The witness testified that she had kept the encounter a secret for years and even her husband did not know about it.

‘Blacked out’

Daniels testified she grew up as the daughter of a low-income single mother.

She recalled that Trump greeted her “wearing silk or satin pyjamas” and changed into a suit after Daniels made fun of him. He also dared her to spank him with a magazine and she obliged, Daniels testified.

She said that before their sexual encounter, Trump had blocked the door and told her “this is the only way you’re getting out of the trailer park.”

She said that she “blacked out” without consuming any drugs or alcohol after Trumpblocked the door and woke up on the bed with her clothes off.

“I was trying to think about anything other than what was happening there,” Daniels testified. However, the 45-year-old said that she did not tell Trump to stop and left the hotel room quickly afterwards.

Jurors reportedly struggled to keep a straight face as she describedspanking the former president. “That’s bullshit,” the former president sitting at the defendant’s table appeared to say, as per Reuters.

Daniels testified that they spoke for about two hours in his hotel suite during which Trump proposed the idea of putting her on his TV show The Apprentice.

Daniels said she stopped talking to him after the possibility of her making an appearance on the show died.

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Daniels testified that she was determined to keep the encounter a secret after being threatened by a stranger in a Las Vegas parking lot, but changed her mind after Trump announced that he would run for president in 2016.

However, she later learned from her manager at the time that Trump’s lawyer, Michael Cohen was interested in purchasing her silence and she negotiated the $130,000 offer.

Judge rejects mistrial request

Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche asked for a mistrial after Daniels’ testimony arguing that her account included details, like Trump did not wear a condom, which “inflamed” the jury and were irrelevant to the case, reported Reuters.

However, judge Merchan denied the request, saying he was surprised there weren’t more objections from the defence. He agreed with Blanche that Daniels said more at times than she should’ve, but blamed the defence for not objecting more vigorously during her testimony.

Trump’s lawyer Susan Necheles grilled Daniels on apparent inconsistencies in her testimony and asked her, “Am I correct that you hate President Trump?” The witness responded by saying“Yes.” Daniels also said that she hopes Trump goes to jail if found guilty.

The former president has pleaded not guilty to the 34-count indictment brought against him and has also denied having sex with the adult film actor.

Daniels will take the witness stand again on Thursday (May 9).

(With inputs from agencies)