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, 3:43 PM EDT

Defense suggests Daniels has profited from her story

Defense attorney Susan Necheles is attempting to suggest that Daniels has profited from what defense attorneys have argued is a false claim of a sexual encounter.

"You have been making money by claiming you had sex with Donald Trump for more than a decade?" Necheles asked.

"I have been making money by telling my story about what happened to me," Daniels responded.

"And that story has made you a lot of money, right?" Necheles followed up.

"It has also cost me a lot of money," Daniels said.

May 07, 2024, 3:37 PM EDT

Judge steps in during heated cross-examination

Judge Merchan has had to intervene on multiple occasions to play the role of mediator as the back-and-forth between Stormy Daniels and defense Susan Necheles has grown heated.

When Daniels at one point started to speak unprompted, Necheles snapped: "OK, Miss Daniels, you understand there's no question pending, right?"

That prompted the judge to instruct Daniels, "Please wait until there's a question asked, and then you can answer the question."

At various points when prosecutors have objected to Necheles' line of questions, Daniels shoots her head to her right toward Merchan, who sits less than five feet away from her.

She stares at Merchan until he rules on the objection, then continues her testimony where she left off.

May 07, 2024, 3:32 PM EDT

Daniels pressed on calling Trump names

Stormy Daniels raised her voice at one point during a testy exchange with defense attorney Susan Necheles.

Necheles showed Daniels a Tweet she wrote that said, "I don't owe him s--- and I'll never give that orange turd a dime."

A few jurors cracked smiles when Nicheles read aloud one of Daniels' tweets, in which she called Trump an "orange turd."

"That's you calling President Trump names, correct?" Necheles asked.

Former President Donald Trump watches as Stormy Daniels is questioned in Manhattan state court in New York City, May 7, 2024, in this courtroom sketch.
Jane Rosenberg/Reuters

"In retaliation for him calling me names," Daniels responded.

"You call him names all the time, right?" Necheles asked. "You despise him."

Daniels responded that she was countering the names he called her that the jury previously saw, namely Horseface and Sleazebag.

"Cause he made fun of me first," Daniels said.

"So one of you started it and you both continued it?" Necheles said.

May 07, 2024, 3:22 PM EDT

Defense presses Daniels on not paying Trump's legal fees

Defense attorney Susan Necheles played up the animosity Stormy Daniels has for Donald Trump after a California court dismissed a lawsuit she filed against him and awarded Trump legal fees totaling more than a half million dollars.

"You're choosing not to pay President Trump one penny," Necheles said. "You've chosen to disobey a court order."

She read a Tweet from Daniels saying she would go to jail before paying Trump the money a court determined she owed.

Necheles' voice, during questioning, is almost rising to shout, jolting the courtroom.

Judge Merchan reminded Necheles to allow Daniels to answer the question before rushing on to the next one.

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