In a heated day at former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial, his defense attorneys focused their attacks on the credibility of adult film star Stormy Daniels. The defense, led by Susan Necheles, questioned the truthfulness of Daniels’ claims about her alleged sexual encounter with Trump, suggesting that she fabricated the story for financial gain.
Daniels, however, stood firm, asserting that her story was true despite some inconsistencies in her accounts. During cross-examination, Necheles pressed Daniels about variations in her statements, such as how their dinner with Trump was set up and whether she felt threatened by him. Necheles also highlighted Daniels’ career in adult films, questioning why seeing Trump in his underwear would be shocking to someone accustomed to nudity.
“If I came out of the bathroom and saw an older man in his underwear that I wasn’t expecting to see there, yeah,” Daniels replied, acknowledging that it would be unsettling. When asked if she made up the story, Daniels simply said, “No.”
The defense also suggested that Daniels had financially benefited from her claims about Trump, pointing to her social media activity and promotional efforts related to the case. Daniels admitted to marketing her story but contended that the overall impact on her life had been negative. “Not unlike Mr. Trump,” she remarked when Necheles criticized her for profiting from the case.
In other testimony, former White House aide Madeleine Westerhout discussed her role in the Trump administration and the former president’s work habits. She described Trump as a hands-on boss who frequently made phone calls and often stayed late at the office. Westerhout’s testimony provided insights into Trump’s daily routines but didn’t offer direct evidence related to the alleged hush money payments to Michael Cohen.
In a separate motion, Trump’s legal team requested that the gag order preventing Trump from discussing the case be lifted, allowing him to publicly defend himself against Daniels’ allegations. Judge Juan Merchan denied the request, citing concerns about maintaining the trial’s integrity. He expressed skepticism about Trump’s ability to follow the order’s limitations, noting, “Your client’s track record speaks for itself here—I can’t take your word for it.”
Trump’s defense also sought a mistrial due to the explicit nature of Daniels’ testimony, claiming it unfairly biased the jury. However, Merchan rejected this motion as well, stating that the defense’s own approach had opened the door for prosecutors to delve into such details. He acknowledged that some aspects of Daniels’ testimony might have been overly explicit but maintained that they were relevant to assessing her credibility.
Overall, Day 14 of the Trump hush money trial featured intense exchanges and highlighted the contentious atmosphere surrounding the case. While the defense focused on undermining Daniels’ credibility, the prosecution aimed to reinforce her testimony’s relevance in establishing a motive for Trump’s alleged hush money payments and subsequent cover-up.
