Trump defense attorneys on Thursday said Stormy Daniels’ story about an alleged sexual encounter with the former president keeps changing because the affair never happened.
Defense attorney for former President Trump Susan Necheles led the continued cross-examination of Daniels Thursday, after her hours-long testimony on Tuesday that prompted the Trump team to motion for a mistrial, calling it “unnecessary” and “prejudicial.” The judge denied the motion.
Necheles, during questioning, pointed to a statement Daniels signed in 2018 denying an encounter with Trump ever took place. Daniels said she did not write the statement, but signed it.
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Necheles pointed to another statement where Daniels denied having a sexual relationship with Trump. In part, the statement reads: “I’m denying this affair because it never happened.”
Daniels claimed ex-Trump attorney Michael Cohen was pushing for her to sign the statement.
Stormy Daniels and her lawyer, Clark Brewster, pose for a photo in the witness room at Manhattan Supreme Court, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (Brewster & De Angelis Law Offices)
Daniels denied ever requesting money from Trump. Facing pressure from Necheles, Daniels added, “I never asked for money from anyone in particular. I asked for money for telling my story… I was asking for money from publications to sell my story, to get the truth out.”
Daniels admitted to selling the story for nearly $1 million, when she agreed to write her book, “Full Disclosure,” for $800,000. But she claimed she did not receive all that money.
When asked about the book, Daniels said she detailed her life for readers beginning at the age of 2, but said she assumed people would read about Trump first.
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When asked for specific details about the alleged sexual encounter in 2006 on the sidelines of a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, Daniels appeared to tell a different story in court than when she first spoke about the incident, or in her book.
“You told In Touch a completely different story,” Necheles said, which Daniels denied, adding there were just “parts in the middle I didn’t remember.”
Daniels said In Touch “left out a lot of stuff because they couldn’t fact-check it.” The In Touch story was written in 2011, but wasn’t published until after the 2016 election.
Stormy Daniels is questioned by prosecutor Susan Hoffinger during former President Trump’s criminal trial. (Reuters/Jane Rosenberg)
“You made it up,” Necheles said.
Daniels replied: “No.”
Daniels went on to discuss the bedroom where the alleged encounter took place, saying it was far away from the front door, and saying that she couldn’t leave the room because Trump’s bodyguard was allegedly outside the door.
But Necheles reminded her that in yet another interview, with Vogue magazine, Daniels was quoted as saying there were no threats during the alleged encounter and she asserted nothing was holding her in the room.
Necheles went on to ask Daniels if she knew or understood why Trump was indicted in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case, to which she said no, and added that he was “indicted for a lot of things.”
Necheles declared that Daniels’ story has changed so many times because she never had an affair with Trump but wanted to earn money.
Under re-direct questioning from prosecutor Susan Hoffinger, Daniels testified that she entered the non-disclosure agreement, and took the $130,000 hush money payment for her own safety, after she testified Tuesday that she wanted to make money by selling her story about Trump.
She added, “We’re all happy to take the money. It’s just a bonus.”
Hoffinger also asked if fear was a reason Daniels entered into the NDA and “hiding in plain view.”
Daniels said an attorney friend of hers told her that “if you’re out in the open, you’re safer.”
Daniels sued Trump in 2018, claiming the non-disclosure agreement she signed wasn’t valid because it lacks Trump’s signature.
Former President Trump watches as Stormy Daniels is questioned by prosecutor Susan Hoffinger during Trump’s criminal trial. (Reuters/Jane Rosenberg)
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Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. The charges stem from a years-long investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
The charges are related to alleged payments made ahead of the 2016 presidential election to silence Daniels about an alleged 2006 extramarital affair with Trump.
Bragg must convince the jury that, not only did Trump falsify business records related to alleged hush money payments, he did so in furtherance of another crime – conspiracy to promote or prevent election, which would be a felony.
On their own, falsifying business records and conspiracy to promote or prevent election are misdemeanor charges.