(AFP) – “The people call Stormy Daniels,” said a prosecutor, instantly silencing the packed Manhattan court where Donald Trump is on trial.
The adult film star faced off against Trump for the first time, with the former president forced to look on just steps away from the witness stand as she began to testify against him. He stared ahead impassively as Daniels adjusted her hair and put on glasses.
Daniels, also known as Stephanie Clifford, wore a black pantsuit and heavy eyeliner as she answered questions from prosecutor Susan Hoffinger seeking to prove Trump covered up payments to her to hush up a sexual encounter she claims they had at a golf tournament in 2006. The Republican candidate for president sat back in his chair, his head tilted as his lawyer Todd Blanche conferred with him while Daniels described being named “Miss Nude America.”
She has been a leading tormentor of Trump for years, disclosing damning details about her allegations and the ensuing money she received to keep quiet. Daniels published a tell-all book in 2018 titled “Full Disclosure”, and in the same year gave a bombshell interview to Anderson Cooper for the 60 Minutes program.
She started her evidence on Tuesday by describing her schooling and experiences horse riding and with the Baton Rouge ballet company. “I shoveled manure,” she said. “And then I went on to dancing.” A friend who worked at a belly dancing club took Daniels there, and Daniels was later signed up. “They didn’t bother to check my ID… I made more money than shoveling manure.”
– ‘How she felt’ –
Daniels appeared to have got under Trump’s skin even before she entered the shabby wood-paneled courtroom on the 15th floor of the Manhattan skyscraper hosting his criminal trial. “I have just recently been told who the witness is today. This is unprecedented, no time for lawyers to prepare,” he fumed on his Truth Social platform, later deleting the post. Trump entered the court looking sterner than usual, mouthing “how are you” tightly at a court officer. He spent the tense moments before the resumption of the trial conferring intently with his lead lawyer Blanche.
In the first exchange of the day, Trump’s lawyer Susan Necheles objected to Daniels being called to discuss the alleged tryst in front of the jury. “We are informed the witness, the second witness, will be Stormy Daniels. We want to renew our objection to her testifying about any sexual acts…. it is unduly prejudicial,” Necheles said.
Prosecutor Hoffinger promised “it’s not going to include any descriptions of genitalia.” (But) it’s important to establish the sex act and how she felt about it,” Hoffinger continued. “There will be some details, very brief.”
– Gregory WALTON
© 2024 AFP
