Trump’s comments about the relationship broke an 11-day silence since Daniels went public with claims of an extramarital affair with the real estate mogul in a 60 Minutes interview.
WASHINGTON — President Trump denied knowing about his lawyer’s $130,000 payment to a porn star before the 2016 presidential election, telling reporters Thursday that he doesn’t know where the hush money came from.
Why, then, would his attorney make the payment to secure the silence of the porn actress known as Stormy Daniels?
“You’ll have to ask Michael Cohen. Michael is my attorney. You’ll have to ask Michael, » Trump said.
Cohen did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But Trump’s comments could have legal ramifications for Cohen, Trump’s personal attorney and the executive vice president of the Trump Organization.
And the denial could bolster Daniels’ claim that the non-disclosure agreement is unenforceable because Trump didn’t sign it.
In answering questions from reporters on Air Force One Thursday, Trump broke 11 days of silence from the president since Daniels went public with claims of an extramarital affair with the real estate mogul in a 60 Minutes interview.
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, said she received threats to her physical safety if she spoke out, and that she received a $130,000 payment to keep quiet just before the 2016 presidential election.
If Cohen made that payment from his own funds and without Trump’s knowledge, it could be considered an illegal contribution to the Trump campaign. And ethical rules prohibit attorneys from settling a claim without the client’s knowledge or using their personal funds to pay for a settlement.
Almost immediately after the president’s statements were reported, Daniels’ attorney challenged him to make them under oath.
« We very much look forward to testing the truthfulness of Mr. Trump’s feigned lack of knowledge concerning the $130k payment as stated on Air Force One, » Daniels attorney Michael Avenatti said on Twitter . « As history teaches us, it is one thing to deceive the press and quite another to do so under oath. »
Daniels is suing Trump and Cohen in an effort to invalidate the non-disclosure agreement she signed just before the 2016 presidential election. She also claims that Trump and Cohen have defamed her by suggesting she’s lying about the affair.
On Monday, Trump’s lawyers sought to get that lawsuit out of federal court and into private arbitration .
Daniels claims she began the one-year affair in 2006, the same year Trump’s wife Melania gave birth to their son.
She’s one of at least 19 women who have accused Trump of sexual misconduct — all dating back before the 2016 election.
