Trump Had an Angry Outburst as Stormy Daniels Testified About Sexual Encounter: 'Imbalance of Power'

The atmosphere in the courtroom grew tense as Stormy Daniels, the adult film star and a key witness in Donald Trump’s hush money trial, testified about their sexual encounter in 2006. The former President's lawyer faced a stern warning from the judge as Trump’s audible cursing verged on witness intimidation during Daniels’ detailed account in front of the jury. New York State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan took a decisive step in addressing Trump's behavior, calling his attorney Todd Blance to the sidebar during a trial break.

Merchan remarked, “I understand that your client is upset at this point. But he is cursing audibly and he is shaking his head visually, and that’s contemptuous. 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. You need to speak to him. I won’t tolerate that.” To this, Blanche replied, “I will talk to him.”

As per HuffPost, the trial navigates around 34 felony charges related to the alleged hush money payments made to Daniels just days before the 2016 presidential election. Prosecutors claim that Trump falsified business records to conceal $130,000 in payments for a nondisclosure agreement focused on preventing Daniels from publicly disclosing the extramarital affair with Trump. 

Daniels’ testimony highlights the alleged encounter, detailing how she first met Trump during a golf tournament in the Lake Tahoe area in 2006. She remarked, “That’s when I had that moment when I felt like the room spun in full motion. And I felt the blood leave my hands and my feet, almost like if you stand up too fast. The next thing I knew I was on the bed, the encounter was consensual but there was an imbalance of power. I was staring at the ceiling. I didn’t know how I got there.”

As per AP News, Trump’s legal team tried to prevent Daniels from sharing these details, arguing that they were prejudicial and irrelevant to the case. The judge said, “There are some things that are probably better left unsaid...I think there were some things that I think the witness was a little difficult to control...It was not easy.” 

Blanche added, “This is the kind of testimony that makes it impossible to come back from. How can we come back from this in a way that’s fair to President Trump?” As the courtroom drama unfolded, Trump's attorneys sought to portray Daniels as motivated by personal animus and seeking financial gain from her claims against Trump. This strategy aimed to challenge the credibility of Daniels' testimony and cast doubt on her motivations for coming forward with her affair allegations.