In the aftermath of her testimony in the New York hush money trial, adult film actor Stormy Daniels took to social media to deliver a pointed jab at former President Trump and his legal team. Instead of a direct response to her testimony, Trump’s team opted for complaints and legal maneuvers.
Following her completion of testimony, Daniels quipped on the social platform X, suggesting that “Real men respond to testimony by being sworn in and taking the stand in court. Oh…wait. Nevermind.” This barb was a direct allusion to Trump’s absence from the witness stand despite the opportunity.
Trump’s legal team, on the other hand, sought to alter Judge Juan Merchan’s gag order to enable a response to Daniels’s testimony, contending that since her testimony was done, any potential intimidation was no longer relevant. Additionally, they attempted to declare a mistrial, arguing that Daniels’s testimony divulged too much about the alleged 2006 encounter with the former president. However, both attempts were rebuffed by Merchan.
Daniels’s dig on X also hinted at the prospect of Trump confronting her claims by taking the stand himself. Meanwhile, Trump’s attorney Susan Necheles endeavored to undermine Daniels’s credibility before the jury, portraying her as an unreliable witness who had altered her story regarding the alleged encounter. Necheles also criticized Daniels for profiting from the allegations of the affair.
The New York case implicates Trump with 34 felony charges for falsifying business records, specifically regarding the concealment of payments made by his then-fixer, Michael Cohen, to keep Daniels silent about the alleged extramarital affair during the 2016 presidential campaign. Despite the accusations, Trump vehemently denies both the affair and any wrongdoing in the hush money arrangement.