It was the courtroom face-off everyone was waiting for — testimony of high legal importance, and salacious sexual content.
Former US president Donald Trump, who has always prided himself on being in charge and in control, was forced to sit and listen to porn star Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, describe in open court a bedroom encounter that he denies ever took place.
“When I opened the bathroom door to come out, Mr Trump had come into the bedroom,” Daniels told the New York court.
Photo: Reuters
“The intention was pretty clear, someone stripped down to their underwear posing on the bed waiting for you,” she said.
Trump stared ahead through Daniels’ testimony, which often veered into graphic sexual detail despite the judge’s best efforts.
“My clothes and shoes were off, I think I still had my bra on. We were in missionary position,” Daniels said.
Was he wearing a condom? “No.”
Was it brief? “Yes.”
Judge Juan Merchan appeared wrong-footed by the adult material, ordering Daniels to “just answer the questions” after repeated objections from the defense, several of which he upheld.
Yet he was not the only one: at one point, during a sidebar, Merchan told Trump’s lawyers that the Republican was “cursing audibly” and shaking his head during Daniels’ testimony.
That had the potential to intimidate the witness, Merchan said, ordering Trump’s attorneys to temper their client’s behavior, a trial transcript said.
Daniels still revealed a plethora of unforgettable allegations.
She told the court Trump called her “Honeybunch,” and she described multiple phone calls with him — some of which she put on speakerphone to entertain her friends.
The encounter took place in 2006, when Trump had pushed to have dinner with her at a golf tournament, she said.
When she arrived via the penthouse elevator, Trump greeted her in silk or satin pajamas before changing into casual clothes after she teased him.
“He said it was a bit early, maybe we could talk a little bit and get to know each other,” Daniels said.
She recounted that he asked if she had a boyfriend, about the economics of the porn industry, and the threat of catching a sexually transmitted disease in her job.
“I said well, we were tested every 30 days,” Daniels told the court.
Daniels said their lengthy conversation touched on Trump’s wife Melania — with Trump saying “we actually don’t even sleep in the same room” — as well as whether Daniels should go on Trump’s hit show The Apprentice.
“He said I reminded him of his daughter because she’s smart and blonde,” Daniels said.
When Trump showed her a magazine with him on the cover, she joked: “Someone should spank you with that,” she told the court. “He gave me the look that he dared me to do it ... so I swatted him with it right on the butt.”
Daniels said they saw each other after that, but never had sex again.
Prosecutors are seeking to prove Trump covered up payments to her to hush up the alleged sexual encounter.
Trump’s lawyers called for a mistrial, saying much of Daniels’ testimony had nothing to do with the fraud charges that he faces.
Merchan denied the request, but added: “I agree there were some things that were better left unsaid.”
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