Five takeaways from Stormy Daniels’ testimony at Donald Trump’s trial
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[May 08, 2024]
By Luc Cohen
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stormy Daniels took the witness stand on Tuesday at
Donald Trump’s criminal trial and described in lurid detail her alleged
2006 sexual encounter with the former U.S. president.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to Manhattan prosecutors’ charges he
falsified business records to cover up his former lawyer’s $130,000
payment to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, for her
silence before the 2016 election.
Here are five takeaways from the first day of Daniels’ testimony:
* Daniels testified confidently
Daniels appeared at ease in recounting for the jury her story of a
sexual encounter with Trump in a Lake Tahoe hotel room in 2006.
She spoke in an animated manner while describing growing up poor in
Louisiana, the early days of her career in the adult film industry, and
meeting Donald Trump at a celebrity golf tournament in 2006.
Daniels’ tone was sometimes humorous, including while she explained her
fateful decision to accept Trump’s invitation to dine with him.
“What could possibly go wrong?” she testified of her thinking.
* Alleged encounter described as consensual, but uncomfortable
Daniels made clear on the witness stand that she did not decline what
she described as Trump’s sexual advances in the penthouse hotel suite
where he had invited her to meet for dinner.
But she said she “blacked out” before finding herself on the bed with no
clothes on, though she said she had not consumed drugs or alcohol. She
said Trump had dangled a role on his reality television show before
making advances.
“There was an imbalance of power for sure," Daniels testified. "But I
was not threatened verbally or physically.”
* Daniels’ account was detailed - maybe too detailed
In recounting the alleged encounter, Daniels mentioned details ranging
from the contents of the toiletry bag in the hotel suite’s bathroom to
Trump’s allegedly not wearing a condom during sex.
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Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald
Trump speaks to the media, as his criminal trial over charges that
he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn
star Stormy Daniels in 2016 continues, in New York City, U.S., May
7, 2024. REUTERS/David Dee Delgado/Pool/File Photo
Trump’s lawyers asked Justice Juan Merchan to declare a mistrial,
arguing such details served only to “inflame” the jury.
Merchan denied the mistrial request, but urged prosecutors to limit
Daniels' testimony.
“There were some things that probably would have been better left
unsaid,” the judge said.
* Daniels changed her mind about whether to tell her story
Daniels testified that she agreed to be interviewed about the tryst
with InTouch magazine in 2011 because it had offered her money. But
later that year, she had a lawyer ask a blog to take down an account
of the story after she said she was threatened by a man in a Las
Vegas parking lot to stay quiet about Trump.
When Trump launched his campaign in 2015, Daniels said she became
open to telling her story to protect herself.
"There’s a big difference between a reality TV star and somebody
running for office," Daniels said under cross-examination by Trump
defense lawyer Susan Necheles.
* Trump’s defense questioned Daniels’ motives
Necheles sought to highlight Daniels' animosity toward Trump,
showing jurors a 2022 tweet in which Daniels referred to Trump as an
“orange turd." Daniels replied “yes” without hesitation when
Necheles asked if she hates Trump.
Necheles also asked Daniels if she wanted Trump to go to jail.
“If he is found guilty, absolutely,” Daniels responded.
(Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Additional reporting by Jack
Queen in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Stephen Coates)
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