From ‘Satin Pajamas’ to ‘Slut Shaming’, 6 Takeaways From Stormy Daniels’ Testimony and Cross-examination

6 Revelations From Stormy Daniels Testimony and the Subsequent Cross-Examination

At Donald Trump's criminal trial, Stormy Daniels testified in court on May 7 and May 9, stating in graphic detail her alleged 2006 sexual encounter with the former president. In response to accusations from Manhattan prosecutors about the fabrication of financial records to conceal $130,000 in hush money payment, in an attempt to sway voters ahead of the 2016 election, Trump entered a not guilty plea, as per The Guardian. Daniels' testimony was however unusually unrestrained and seemed humiliating for Trump, who occasionally shook his head. The presiding judge sustained many objections despite rejecting a move for a mistrial, as per Reuters. A key testimony nevertheless, here are some of the shocking takeaways from her time in court.

1. Trump Wore ‘Satin Pajamas’ and Compared Her to Daughter Ivanka

When questioned directly, Daniels recollected every detail of her first encounter with Trump in 2006 and their subsequent meeting in 2007. She even described the intricate black-and-white floor tiles and Trump's greeting when he met her. Additionally, she testified that the former president was dressed in 'silk or satin' pajamas. "Does Hugh Hefner know you stole his pajamas?" she jokingly asked, suggesting he change. As the testimony progressed, Daniels disclosed that Trump questioned her on several topics, including sexually transmitted illnesses and her experience writing and directing adult films. Before making moves on her, Trump allegedly had hinted at a position on his reality TV show and made disturbing comparisons to his daughter. “You remind me of my daughter, she’s blonde and smart and beautiful and people underestimate her as well,” she recalled him saying.

2. Daniels Emphasized Their Encounter Was Consensual but Uncomfortable

Daniels felt uneasy during her encounter with Trump, but she made it apparent on the witness stand that she also did not reject Trump's advances. She revealed that she spent two hours talking to him, and when she returned from the restroom, she found Trump lying on the bed "in boxer shorts and a T-shirt." She described her reaction as a "jump scare-like startle." She stated, "I hadn't anticipated seeing anyone, particularly without a lot of clothes," acknowledging also the disparity in power. “There was an imbalance of power for sure," Daniels testified, "But I was not threatened verbally or physically.” 

3. Trump’s Lawyers Attempted To Discredit and Slut-Shame Daniels

Under cross-examination, Trump's attorney, Susan Necheles, repeatedly tried to undermine Daniels' prior statements by slut-shaming her. Nevertheless, Daniels held her own. After accusing her of making money off of Trump's trial by 'shilling merchandise', Necheles painted Daniels as an outlandish anti-Trump cheerleader. Daniels responded, "Not unlike Mr. Trump," referring to merchandise he's selling. The defense also awkwardly brought up Daniels' experience as an adult film star. Necheles stated, "You have a lot of experience making phony stories about s*x," suggesting that Daniels' claims about an affair with Trump were fabricated. “Wow. That’s not how I would put it. The s*x in the films is very much real, just like what happened to me in that room,” Daniels shot back.

4. Testimony and Cross-examination Prove Why Trump May Have Tried to Hide the Story

Experts speculated that Trump's legal team may have unintentionally strengthened the prosecution's case with their cross-examination. The defense gave a detailed explanation of why Trump might have attempted to hide the scandal, trying to portray it as a coverup to protect wife Melania's feelings, or an attempt to quash false news. Daniels' frank responses portraying Trump as unlikeable and creepy, however, clarified that Trump's reasoning for the hush money refund as well as his seemingly unlawful cover-up, was to have a favorable result in the 2016 election. "It was valuable in the sense that it builds the narrative and helps us understand how we got here," former Manhattan prosecutor, Jeremy Saland, said. "It's why Trump paid. She's the vehicle of the story, but she's not the story."

5. Trump Was Visibly Uncomfortable, and Angry

Frequently shutting his eyes, Trump sat close by. But after hearing Daniels' evidence, he grew so enraged that the judge had to ask his lawyers to caution him from displaying such strong emotions in front of the witnesses. “I understand that your client is upset at this point,” Judge Juan Merchan told Trump’s attorneys during a sidebar on Tuesday, “but he is cursing audibly, and he is shaking his head visually and that’s contemptuous.” Merchan went on, “It has the potential to intimidate the witness and the jury can see that. I am speaking to you here at the bench because I don’t want to embarrass him.”

6. Daniels’ Testimony Was Detailed, Maybe Too Detailed

Daniels provided an extremely detailed account of their alleged encounter, including information on what was in the toiletry bag in the bathroom of the hotel suite and whether or not Trump had used a condom during the meeting. Trump's attorneys requested that Judge Merchan declare a mistrial, claiming that the jury would only be 'inflamed' by these facts. Merchan asked prosecutors to restrict Daniels' testimony, but he rejected the motion for a mistrial. “There were some things that probably would have been better left unsaid,” the judge said. "She was a very sensational witness. There was a lot of evidence that came out that was wholly irrelevant," former Manhattan prosecutor, Diana Florence, reiterated to BBC. "But at the end of the day, she adds context to the story."