Trump’s New York Trial: Stormy Daniels presents testimony

Adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand in the criminal trial against former US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, offering details about an alleged sexual encounter that prompted the former president’s lawyers to ask for a mistrial, which New York Judge Juan Merchan rejected.

The details focused on a reported sexual encounter in 2006 with Trump in a hotel suite as well as their contact between 2006 and 2008, which Donald Trump denied, reports NPR.

Stormy Daniels, also known as Stephanie Clifford, is one of two women Trump paid off, the prosecution alleged, to protect his electoral prospects the first time he ran for the White House. Her testimony is scheduled to continue on Thursday.

While Merchan denied the defence’s motion for mistrial, he did agree that there were things that were better left unsaid during Daniels’ testimony. This morning, Merchan sustained various objections raised by the defence for including unnecessary details, and before the afternoon testimony began, he directed prosecutors to take some time to instruct her to be more specific or concise while answering.

The prosecutors argued that the details Stormy Daniels gave were aimed at establishing her credibility and helping determine what Trump wanted to silence with a nondisclosure agreement and $130,000 settlement from his then-lawyer Michael Cohen.

Donal Trump sat in the courtroom during her testimony, which he is required to do by law as per the New York criminal justice system, and was accompanied by Eric Trump, one of his sons.

Trump faces 34 felony counts that allege he falsified New York business records in an attempt to conceal damaging information to influence the 2016 presidential election.

The former president, who pleaded not guilty, claims that the trial was an election interference since it was disrupting his 2024 presidential bid, as he must be present in court daily and won’t be able to campaign.