Stormy Daniels, the adult film star at the centre of Donald Trump's hush-money trial, has testified in court about an alleged sexual encounter with the former US president. The 45-year-old, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, claims she and Mr Trump had sex in 2006 and accepted $130,000 (£104,000) from his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to keep silent before the 2016 election. Mr Trump denies any sexual involvement and has pleaded not guilty to charges of falsifying business records to conceal the payment.
During several days of tense testimony, Ms Daniels recounted meeting Mr Trump at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe in July 2006. She said she was invited to dinner at his hotel suite, where he greeted her wearing silk pyjamas. After using the bathroom, she found him in bed in only boxer shorts and a t-shirt. The encounter was consensual, she testified, but left her disoriented. She also claimed they did not use a condom and that she spanked him with a magazine, details that led to unsuccessful mistrial motions from Mr Trump's legal team.
Under cross-examination by Mr Trump's lawyer, Susan Necheles, Ms Daniels was accused of fabricating the story. The exchange became heated, with Ms Daniels retorting, 'You're trying to trick me into saying something that's not entirely true.' Judge Juan Merchan acknowledged that some testimony was 'better left unsaid' and warned prosecutors to avoid overly personal specifics.
Ms Daniels said she accepted the hush-money payment out of concern for her family's safety, citing a 2011 incident in a Las Vegas parking lot where a stranger threatened her infant daughter, saying, 'Leave Trump alone.' She also faced a $20m lawsuit threat from a shell company linked to Mr Cohen over an alleged non-disclosure agreement breach. The case centres on how Mr Cohen's reimbursement was recorded as legal fees, which prosecutors argue was a falsification of business records.
