Stormy Daniels continues testimony in Trump's criminal trial

NEW YORK — Adult film actor Stormy Daniels took the stand for a second day in the criminal trial against Donald Trump on Thursday morning.

Her testimony followed a graphic day on the stand on Tuesday where she detailed an alleged 2006 sexual encounter with Trump in a hotel suite as well as their contact between 2006 and 2008. Trump has denied the affair.

Daniels, also known as Stephanie Clifford, is one of two women the prosecution is alleging Trump paid off to protect his electoral prospects the first time he ran for the White House.

The former president faces 34 felony counts alleging that he falsified New York business records to conceal damaging information to influence the 2016 presidential election. Trump, who pleaded not guilty, claims the trial itself is "election interference" because of how it is disrupting his 2024 bid for president. He must be present in court every day and thus, isn't able to campaign when he is.

Prosecutors argued the details Daniels gave so far in testimony were aimed at establishing her credibility and also help explain what exactly Trump wanted to silence with a nondisclosure agreement and $130,000 settlement from his then-lawyer Michael Cohen. The defense didn't want her to talk at all about sex, arguing this is a case about books and records and called for a mistrial, a move the judge denied. On Tuesday Judge Juan Merchan told prosecutors to instruct her not to give unnecessary details and be more succinct in her answers.

The former president sat in the courtroom for her testimony, as he is required to by New York criminal law, and has been accompanied by one of his sons, Eric Trump, though he was not present at the start of testimony on Thursday. [Copyright 2024 NPR]