Trump trial: Stormy Daniels tells (almost) all about alleged sexual encounter with Trump
Donald Trump watched Stormy Daniels testify on Day 13 of his hush money trial.
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.
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Daniels ticks through her film credits
Stormy Daniels testified that she starred in her first adult film at 23 after she traveled to Los Angeles with a friend.
She said she was a background actor in a film when a producer from Wicked Films approached her. Within days she had her first contract.
"I was honestly kind of scared to do it," Daniels said.
Daniels testified about her work producing adult films. She said she has produced over 150 films and won multiple awards.
"I was one of the youngest -- if not the youngest -- featured director," Daniels said.
She also said she was in music videos for Maroon 5 and acted in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up."
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked Daniels twice to slow the pace of her delivery after she raced through her film credentials.
Daniels describes her start as exotic dancer
Stormy Daniels told jurors she began dancing in clubs in high school to make money.
“[A friend] was an exotic dancer and invited me to the club to dance, and they didn’t bother checking my ID,” Daniels said, adding she could make more money in one weekend than she would “shoveling manure eight hours a day.”
Jurors appeared laser focused on Daniels as she described her upbringing -- nobody looking at their monitor, only two people appear to be jotting down notes. Otherwise, all eyes on Daniels.
Daniels testified that she began posing nude in magazines when she was 21 so she could elevate her dancing career.
“If you are just a regular girl in the club ... but if you were like the Playboy centerfold, you were the headliner,” Daniels said.
Trump, meanwhile, has his gaze fixed downward or straight ahead -- nowhere near the witness.
He is exchanging notes with his attorney Todd Blanche.
Daniels begins with details of her background
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger began the questions by asking Stormy Daniels to tell the jury about her life.
"Tell the jury a little bit about your life growing up in Louisiana," Hoffinger asked.
Donald Trump appeared to tilt his head slightly as Stormy Daniels walked by on her way to the witness stand. He then looked disinterested as she recounted her upbringing.
Daniels told the jury about how she was raised by her mother and grew up in a low-income household. She says she edited her high school newspaper and participated in 4-H.
The start of the testimony appears to be an effort to humanize Daniels -- who the jury has heard plenty about -- and make her relatable.
"I'm going to ask you to slow down a little bit," Hoffinger said.
"I have an accent still, sorry," Daniels said.
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.
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.