Stormy Daniels to Testify in Trump’s Criminal Trial
In a significant development in the criminal trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump, Stormy Daniels will be called as a witness on Tuesday, according to lawyers involved in the case. This testimony is poised to bring Daniels, an adult film actress who claims to have had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, face-to-face with the former president in a legal setting.
The crux of the trial revolves around a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to Daniels ahead of the 2016 election—a payment that
Daniels’ testimony is expected to be limited to the basic details of her encounter with Trump, with Justice Juan Merchan ruling out any explicit descriptions. Despite objections from Trump’s defense lawyer Susan Necheles, who deems the testimony peripheral, Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger insists it is essential for establishing Daniels’ credibility.
As the trial progresses, Trump has been fined for violating a gag order that restricts him from discussing witnesses. He continues to plead not guilty to the 34 felony counts of falsifying business records and denies any sexual encounter with Daniels.
Trump’s defense team argues that Daniels’ testimony will not bear relevance to the alleged paperwork violations. However, prosecutors have already presented business records with Trump’s signature, which they claim were falsified to conceal his reimbursement to Cohen.
The trial is unfolding amidst Trump’s renewed presidential campaign for the November 5 election. While Trump faces other criminal prosecutions, this trial is the only one guaranteed to proceed before the election date. It charges him with attempting to influence the 2016 election through an illegal cover-up and falsifying business records.
Amidst legal battles and social media confrontations, Daniels stands as a pivotal witness in a case that could have far-reaching implications for Trump’s political future.