Trump trial: Stormy Daniels tells (almost) all about alleged encounter with Trump

Donald Trump watched Stormy Daniels testify on Day 13 of his hush money trial.

Last Updated: May 7, 2024, 7:29 PM EDT

Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City, where he is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges.

Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.

Apr 22, 5:51 am

What to know about the hush money case

May 07, 2024, 10:35 AM EDT

Stormy Daniels called to the stand

"The People call Stormy Daniels," prosecutors announced, using her stage name instead of her birth name, Stephanie Clifford.

Daniels entered the courtroom draped in all black and did not glance over at the former president as she ascended the short steps to the witness stand. Trump watched her as she navigated the courtroom.

Daniels said she is testifying pursuant to a subpoena. Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger is leading the questions.

May 07, 2024, 10:27 AM EDT

Defense highlights ghostwriters' role in Trump's books

During a redirect examination of Penguin Random House VP Sally Franklin, prosecutors introduced as evidence additional portions from "Trump: How to Get Rich" to highlight Trump's role in writing the book.

"That's what I decided to call it, because whenever I meet people, that's usually what they want to know from me," Trump wrote in "How to Get Rich." "You ask a baker how he makes bread. You ask a billionaire how he makes money."

Franklin also read from the acknowledgements of the book, where Trump thanks his coauthor and editor for knowing him so well -- and the epitaph where Trump quoted his mother.

In court and in filings, defense lawyers have highlighted Trump's minimal role in drafting the books compared to his ghostwriters.

May 07, 2024, 10:07 AM EDT

'Always question invoices,' Trump book excerpt says

Penguin Random House VP Sally Franklin continued reading quotes from another Trump book, intended by prosecutors to show in Trump's own words how he allegedly handles his finances.

"I always try to read my bills to make sure I'm not being over charged," an excerpt said.

"Periodically I ask my financial department for what I call my financial small shot," one book read. "If i didn't check up on it regularly, I would be in big financial trouble."

"And I would have no one to blame but myself," the book said.

Jurors appeared engaged as the former president's book covers flashed across the monitors in front of them.

Several jurors were following along as Franklin read the excerpts.

"Always look at the numbers yourself," Franklin read from another book.



Another one said, "For me, there is nothing worse than a computer signing checks. When people see your signature at the bottom of the check, they know you're watching them and they screw you less."

And another one from Trump's book "Think Like a Billionaire": "Always question invoices."

Trump, sitting at the defense table, appeared engaged -- watching Franklin as she read his own words back to the court and intermittently exchanging whispers and notes with attorney Todd Blanche, seated to his left.

Blanche concluded a short cross-examination by emphasizing that Franklin only read from selected pages from a small portion of Trump's books.

May 07, 2024, 9:53 AM EDT

Publisher reads quotes from Trump's book

Jurors were shown a photo of the cover of Trump's 2004 book, "How to Get Rich: Big Deals from the Star of The Apprentice."

"How many times does the word 'Trump' appear on the cover of this book?" a prosecutor asked Penguin Random House VP Sally Franklin, on the witness stand.

"Three times," Franklin said.

ABC News previously reported about prosecutors' plan to use the quotes from Trump's books against him at trial.

"When somebody hurts you, just go after them as viciously and as violently as you can," Franklin read from the book. "For many years I've said that if someone screws you, screw them back."

Related Topics