Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels have been embroiled in a public dispute for years over an alleged sexual encounter, a hush-money arrangement made by the former president’s fixer, and their respective attempts to control the widely reported story.
On Tuesday, during Ms. Daniels’ initial court appearance as a witness in Mr. Trump’s criminal trial, the tensions between them and the sensational details surrounding them broke out.
The former adult film star, dressed in baggy black clothing with her hair pulled back, spent the majority of the day avoiding eye contact with the former president, save for a brief moment when she noticed his dark blue suit when someone asked her to identify him.
She devoted a significant portion of her time on the witness stand to retelling the alleged sexual encounter she had with the defendant, which she alleges initiated the core of the case’s charges, and to deflecting sharp questioning from his legal team.
While this was going on, Mr. Trump shook his head and cursed throughout some of her testimony. Court transcripts released at the conclusion of the day indicate that the judge issued a warning as a result of such.
There are 34 felony counts of falsifying corporate records against the former president. The accusations are related to a supposedly attempted cover-up of a $130,000 payment made to Ms. Daniels in order to silence her over the alleged tryst.
Although he has confessed that his former attorney, Michael Cohen, gave her money to stay quiet about her allegations, he has entered a not guilty plea and denied ever having had a physical relationship with her.
Ms. Daniels, the recipient of the funds, was anticipated to appear in court at some point. However, Tuesday’s most dramatic day of the trial thus far was brought about by her evidence.
Her account of her meeting with Mr. Trump was so graphic that the former president’s attorneys demanded a mistrial. Judge Juan Merchan informed the prosecution not to request details of such a private nature, acknowledging that “there were some things that would have been better left unsaid.”
She has already disclosed the facts, which included her assertion that they did not use a condom, her accusation that she spanked Mr. Trump with a magazine, and the responses she purportedly got from the former president regarding his spouse.
One of the Hollywood attorneys and tabloid publishers that Ms. Daniels used to arrange the hush money has already surfaced during the trial. But the judge and Mr. Trump’s defense team seemed to find her testimony on Tuesday to be excessive.
Trump Pays Attention While Daniels Tells Her Tale.
Earlier in the day, the attorneys representing Mr. Trump attempted to have Justice Merchan restrict the questions that prosecutors may pose to Ms. Daniels on their purported sex in 2006 and their two following meetings.
The prosecution contended that in order to prove the pay-out’s purpose, they had to question Ms. Daniels about it. Even with more stringent guidelines, Ms. Daniels’ shocking revelations continued to flow in her remarkably lengthy responses.
Ms. Daniels has already disclosed information about her purported sexual encounter with Mr. Trump. Since the agreement became public, she has shared her experience with America’s most well-known broadcast journalist, on national television, in a documentary of the same name, and in her book, Full Disclosure.
However, she had never shared it before with the man who was seated a few feet away from her, despite her claims to have had intercourse with him.
During the morning session, the witness gave off a tense vibe and spoke so quickly that Justice Merchan and the prosecutor, Susan Hoffinger, both requested her to slow down. Additionally, it seemed at times that prosecutor Ms. Hoffinger’s evidence escaped her, despite the judge’s harsh caution to better manage her witness.
The adult film actress transported the court back to 2006, the year she first saw Mr. Trump at a celebrity golf tournament, keeping her gaze fixed on the jury. She remembered that he had asked her to eat with him.
In court, Ms. Daniels testified that although she was first hesitant to have dinner with Mr. Trump, her publicist persuaded her by asking, “What could possibly go wrong?” Some in the courtroom laughed at that line.
She continued by telling how she had gone to Mr. Trump’s suite later for supper, and how he had met her in silk pajamas at the door.
After using the restroom, Ms. Daniels testified in court, she discovered Mr. Trump lying in bed in just boxer shorts and a t-shirt.
She insisted that there was consent and that they had intercourse. Nevertheless, she informed the judge, the event had confused her.
The Trump Defense Team Becomes Agitated
Before they began Ms. Daniels’ cross-examination, Mr. Trump’s attorneys repeatedly objected to the prosecution’ line of questions.
Attorney Todd Blanche stated that prosecutors had made sure the restrictions the court placed on Ms. Daniels’ testimony had been lifted. Her information regarding Mr. Trump was so “unduly prejudicial” that they didn’t think it could be corrected on cross-examination.
“This is the kind of testimony that makes it impossible to come back from,” remarked Blanche.
Although the judge did not declare a mistrial, he did concur that the “witness was a little difficult to control” and instructed Ms. Hoffinger to speak with Ms. Daniels about providing succinct responses.
“The degree of detail that we’re going into is just unnecessary,” he stated.
Susan Necheles, Mr. Trump’s attorney, conducted a rigorous cross-examination with the goal of compromising Ms. Daniels’ motivations and memories. At points, the two women were almost shouting at one another.
The conversation became quite uncomfortable as Ms. Necheles questioned Ms. Daniels’ upbringing, brought up her remarks about Mr. Trump, and hinted that she had made up some of her memories.
“You’re making this up as you sit there, right?” stated Ms. Necheles.
Mr. Trump told reporters that he believed the court hearings were “going well” afterward.
The jurors, who will ultimately decide how strong Ms. Daniels’ testimony is, was paying close attention to everything she said.
It was difficult to discern what the twelve New Yorkers thought of the day. They watched the furious back and forth unfold in front of them, impassive and emotionless.
Once again, Justice Merchan reminded the jurors to remember to have an open mind as the court adjourned.
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