Defense attorneys questioned Stormy Daniels during Donald Trump’s hush money trial on Thursday about the financial gains she made after publicly alleging she had a sexual encounter with the former president. They emphasized how Daniels tried to sell her story around the 2016 presidential election, eventually negotiating a $130,000 payment from Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen to keep the alleged affair quiet.
Daniels denied seeking money from Trump, stating she aimed to sell her story to publications to share the truth. Necheles noted Daniels approached media outlets, including Slate, but did not receive payment for her story.
Daniels explained she agreed to a non-disclosure agreement with Cohen to protect her family from harm when the story surfaced. Necheles highlighted Daniels’ 2018 interview with 60 Minutes, where she discussed her experience with Trump in detail and subsequently made nearly a million dollars from a book deal.
Defense attorneys questioned Daniels on whether her negotiations for the hush money payment amounted to extortion. They aimed to cast doubt on her claims that financial gain was not her primary motivation for selling her story.
Trump faces accusations from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of falsifying records to conceal the payment after his election.
