NEW YORK: Stormy Daniels, the porn actress at the heart of Donald Trump’s hush money trial, was due to testify against the former president Tuesday, US media said, in a blockbuster moment in the courtroom drama rocking the scandal-plagued Republican’s attempt to recapture the White House.
Daniels alleges a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006 and asserts that she was subsequently paid to keep silent about the affair, purportedly to prevent any last-minute disruptions to Trump’s 2016 election campaign against Hillary Clinton.
Prosecutors contend that Trump, fearing the potential fallout from the revelation, engaged in illegal activities to conceal the payment, resulting in 34 felony counts of falsifying business records being levied against him.
While Trump vehemently denies any sexual liaison with Daniels, he maintains that the $130,000 payment was lawful. Amid mounting speculation surrounding Daniels’ potential testimony, her appearance in court marks a significant moment in the high-profile trial.
This marks the first direct confrontation between Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, and the former president, who has consistently disparaged her, even during his tenure in the White House.
The courtroom clash occurs precisely six months ahead of the next presidential election, wherein Trump aims to unseat incumbent President Joe Biden and secure a return to power.
However, Trump’s ability to discredit Daniels during the trial may be limited, as Judge Juan Merchan recently found him in contempt of court for repeatedly violating a partial gag order. This order aims to prevent Trump from leveraging his substantial media platform to intimidate witnesses or influence the trial’s proceedings. Merchan warned of potential imprisonment for future infractions, in addition to previously imposed fines.
In response to the developments, Trump voiced frustration via his Truth Social app, alleging insufficient time for his legal team to prepare and denouncing the judge as “CROOKED & HIGHLY CONFLICTED.”
